Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) and GAIL (India) Limited on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up a bioethanol plant with a production capacity of 500 kilo litre per day (KLD) in Gujarat.
Apart from the plant, both the companies also agreed to cooperate in other areas of mutual interest. The MoU was signed in the presence of chief minister Bhupendra Patel.
The cost of the project is estimated to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore and it is expected to generate annual revenues of approximately Rs 1,500 crores. The project will also generate direct and indirect EMPLOYMENT for around 700 individuals.
The proposed plant will use corn/broken rice as feedstock with eco-friendly technology and it will produce 500 KLD bioethanol, which will be utilised for blending in petrol. As by-products from this plant, 135 KTPA protein-rich animal feed and 16.50 KTPA of corn oil while using corn as feedstock are also expected to be produced.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a roadmap for 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025 to reduce import of crude oil and save valuable Foreign Exchange, the also added that an estimated Savings of $70 million per year in foreign exchange outgo is expected through this project.