Gujarat deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel Saturday commissioned an ethanol plant in Narmada district.

The plant, set up by Shri Narmada Khand Udyog Sahkari Mandali Cooperative at Dharikheda near Rajpipla, will be the first plant in Gujarat to make ethanol from sugarcane crushing proces, Patel said.

It will produce 45 kilo-litre per day (KLPD) of ethanol.

Eight other sugar factories in the region too have plans to set up such plants, Patel said, mentioning that the Union government has now permitted 10 per cent mixing of ethanol in automobile fuels.

The plant will manufacture ethanol during sugarcane crushing process using a new technology, he said.

In older processes, ethanol is made from molasses and alcohol which are by-products of sugar manufacturing.

The plant has been set up at a cost of Rs 60 crore and is spread over six acres of land, said Narendra Patel, managing director of the cooperative.