New Delhi: The foundation stone of India’s first-of-its-kind CO₂-to-Methanol pilot plant has been laid at Thermax Ltd.’s Research, Technology, and Innovation Center (RTIC) in Pune. Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, the pioneering project holds national significance as it aims to demonstrate CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) technologies, playing a crucial role in India's journey towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and Thermax Ltd. will collaborate to develop the CCU technology. The plant with an overall capacity of 1.4 Tons Per Day (TPD) has been designed considering CO₂ emissions from a diverse range of sources, including power plants, cement and steel plants, fertiliser plants, and refineries.

A team of faculty members from the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Delhi will carry out the project-aligned R&D work, complementing the pilot plant activities and engaging in R&D for future developments.

The RTIC team at Thermax will scale up the laboratory-developed processes and demonstrate the technology at the pilot plant scale. This plant aims to leverage the industry-academia partnership, with novel products and processes evaluated in an industrial setting and feedback used for further optimization.

This new plant, building on the success of a previous DST-supported coal-to-methanol pilot plant project, will capture CO₂ from two key sources: (i) syngas produced during coal gasification, and (ii) flue gas from the combustion of carbonaceous fuels, and subsequently convert it to methanol.

The project is anticipated to serve as a design template for many industrial applications, building capacity and preparing indigenous manufacturers to meet future demands for catalysts, absorbents, solvents, and other technology solutions at a commercial scale.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, who virtually laid the foundation stone of the pilot plant on September 14, 2024, highlighted the project’s role in showcasing the development of indigenous technologies through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Mr. Ashish Bhandari (MD and CEO, Thermax Ltd.), Prof. Naresh Bhatnagar (Dean R&D, IIT Delhi), Dr. Anita Gupta (Adviser and Head, Climate, Energy, and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of DST), and Dr. Neelima Alam (Associate Head, CEST) were physically present at the RTIC, Thermax Ltd., on the occasion of the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Prof. Naresh Bhatnagar, in his address, emphasized the importance of strengthening the PPP model for effective academia-industry collaborations. He further underscored the need for inclusive public engagement, community education, and increased awareness about global warming and technological solutions.

Mr. Ashish Bhandari highlighted the need for setting up new pilot facilities while also scaling up the existing technologies developed at the pilot scale to commercial levels. Dr. Anita Gupta explained the working mechanism of the project.

ENDS