NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative to promote use of clean technologies, India on Tuesday signed an ag reement with Finland to produce indigenous ethanol and reduce country’s dependence on its import.
Under the deal, state-run explorer ONGC and Finnish clea-technology firm Chempolis will set up a pilot project to produce ethanol, bio-chemicals and bio-coal from biomass residual matters.
The agreement was inked between Finnish minister for European affairs Alexander Stubb and India’s minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Panabaka Lakshmi in New Delhi.
“We have signed an MoU with a Finnish company called Chempolis. It is for conversion of cellulose into ethanol. We have developed a technology by which all cellulose-based waste products can be converted into ethanol,” ONGC chairman Sudhir Vasudeva told reporters.
The ONGC chairman further added that 75% of India’s ethanol requirements are met through imports.