(HT)
As Punjab and Haryana struggle to deal with the stubble burning menace, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)’s ethanol plant at Panipat is being seen as a ray of hope. The Rs.766 crore project, which is expected to become functional by August 2021, will covert rice straw into ethanol, a renewable fuel, thus serving the dual purpose of discouraging stubble burning while also providing them returns for their agricultural waste.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar had announced the project in November through a tweet, in which he wrote, “This project not only promotes use of environment friendly fuel but also aids in the fulfilment of the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income.” The ministry has already accorded approval for the plant and its construction will start in the next few months once the minister formally lays its foundation stone.
As per IOCL officials, this will be the first commercial project in the country which to directly convert dried rice straw into ethanol. The plant at IOCL, which will be spread across 34 acres of the refinery’s premises, has the capacity to produce 100 kilo litres of ethanol a day from 425.5 metric tons of rice straw. The project is based on indigenously developed technology and will not leave any waste behind and will produce ethanol with negligible emission from the boiler.
