The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Nandan Biomatrix to boost bio-diesel production

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Nandan Biomatrix to boost bio-diesel production

Special Correspondent

Company to set up bio-investment eco industrial zones across country

Bio-diesel to be produced under contract farming method in 20 lakh acres
Shapoorji Pallonji group to build infrastructure to produce bio-diesel

HYDERABAD: Nandan Biomatrix has come out with a plan to develop bio-investment eco industrial zones (BIEZ).

Managing Director of the company V. Bhaskara Rao said at a press conference here on Thursday that several BIEZs would be set up across the country involving public-private and panchayat partnership to develop Jatropha plantations and produce bio-diesel under contract farming method in 20 lakh acres spread across the country.

Feasibility report

Director (Technical) B. Jayakumar said that IL&FS-IDC would give a feasibility report for the establishment of BIEZs and bringing in investment. While the Shapoorji Pallonji group would build the infrastructure to produce bio-diesel, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has tied up with Nandan Biomatirx to purchase the entire produce for blending in diesel. This would bring down the dependence on crude oil by 17 per cent by 2020, said A.K. Bansal, executive director of BPCL.

Nandan formed a company with Alphakat GmbH of Germany, which would provide the technology for production of bio-diesel. The patented breakthrough technology would be used to produce bio-diesel from seeds and green biomass of Jatropha at Rs. 14 a litre.

When produced on a large scale, the cost would further come down, said Christian Koch, chairman of Alphakat.

Seed procurement

Platinum Energy, a Malaysian partner of Nandan, would procure the seed and supply to farmers for plantation and also develop the catchment area for the BIEZ, said company representative Sushi S. Sidhu.

While the Jatropha plant had a lifecycle for 30 years when used for commercial production, farmers would have to invest Rs. 16,000 in the first two years and reap the returns in the range of Rs. 12,000-Rs.20,000 from the fourth year.

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