10 Mgy sweet sorghum ethanol plant announced for India’s Maharashta state

In India, Praj Industries and Tata Chemicals have established a joint venture that will construct a $10 million sweet sorghum based ethanol plant in Maharashta. The plant will have a capacity of 3 Mgy of ethanol and will commence operation in September 2008. The plant would generate its own power with the help of bagasse from the milling process.

Last week, the South Indian Sugar Mills Association said that of 180 sugar mills who belonged to the association, only 18-20 have the capability at this time to produce ethanol.

The association’s chief told the Hindu Business Line that “The cooperative sector is beset with financial crunch to upgrade their facilities in order to produce ethanol.”

The industry is struggling to establish an ethanol capacity to reduce India’s massive 12 million ton sugar excess capacity of sugar, and meet the proposed national E10 mandate which goes into effect in October 2008.

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