Mysuru: In line with the Indian government’s focus on advancing research and development initiatives in eco-friendly biorefineries, the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) in Mysuru has initiated a pilot-scale project. This project aims to generate bioethanol and biohydrogen using mulberry shoots and silkworm excrement., reported The Hindu.

S. Gandhi Doss, the Director of CSRTI, mentioned that a group of scientists from the institute is currently engaged in the project, and they are awaiting the results of the laboratory-level experiments.

Initiated in April 2023 at CSRTI laboratories in Mysuru, the project has demonstrated positive results in ethanol production experiments. Ongoing studies are focused on the production of biohydrogen.

The research conducted at CSRTI gains importance in light of the Indian government’s intentions to increase the blending of bioethanol with petrol, as part of their initiatives to decrease reliance on fossil fuels.

Having completed tests on bioethanol production, the scientists are eagerly anticipating the ongoing tests for biohydrogen production.

If production of bioethanol and biohydrogen from silkworm rearing waste is found to be economically viable, CSRTI plans to collaborate with industry for its production on a commercial scale on an experimental basis.