PM to launch 2G ethanol plant in Panipat Refinery tomorrow

Aug 08,2022

With an aim to tackle the problem of stubble burning in the region, the second-generation ethanol plan, set up in the Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex (PRPC) by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is ready for commissioning on August 10.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the 2G ethanol plant, worth Rs 999 crore, on August 10 via video conferencing. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will attend the inaugural function in the refinery here.

The IOCL has set up the plant on 35 acres of land with a capacity of 100 kilolitre/day, which will not only help in raising the income of paddy farmers but will also play a role in curbing pollution caused by the burning of stubble.

Notably, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmender Pradhan, along with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, had announced the setting up of the plant on October 10, 2016, during the previous BJP government regime.

Vivek Sharma, Manager, CSR, PRPC, said the second generation ethanol bio-refinery would use paddy straw (parali) as a feedstock and after duly processing 750 tonne paddy straw a day, the plant would produce 100 kilolitre of ethanol per day.

The commercial production of 2G ethanol would be commenced within 90 days, said sources.

Around 250 people will get direct employment through this project, while 1,000 will get employment indirectly, Sharma added.

Sharma said the plant would be beneficial for the farmers of Panipat, Sonepat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Jind, Yamunanagar and Ambala district.

Paddy straw will be purchased from farmers, which is being burnt by farmers every year, he said. As many as 12 collection centres have been established in Panipat and Karnal, he added.

“We have sufficient stock of paddy straw to run it as we have made ample stock to run the plant till the paddy season starts,” Sharma said.

Dr Wazir Singh, Deputy Director, Agriculture, at Panipat said paddy was being sown on around 1.90 lakh acres of land, of which 90 per cent is Basmati. Maximum paddy was being used as fodder for animals, he said.“We have calculated that there is around one lakh metric tonne of extra paddy straw in the district every season on 50,000 acres,” he said.

The state government is giving subsidies for crop residue management, the Deputy Director added. Two collection centres have been set up in Assan Kalan and Badoli village of the district, he added.

To tackle stubble-burning

The Indian Oil Corporation Limited has set up the plant on 35 acres with a production capacity of 100 kilolitre/day
It will not only help in raising the income of paddy farmers but will also play a role in curbing pollution due to stubble-burning