Indian, British firms tie up for bio-diesel :
Tamilnadu, India > Chennai, Aug 13 : The Britain-based company D1 Oils Plc has signed an agreement with Mohan Breweries and Distilleries for producing bio-diesel from the jatropha plant.
The drought resistant small tree is grown extensively in Tamil Nadu's fallow land. The Indian Railways too has several pilot projects in Tamil Nadu to commercially farm jatropha. The seeds of this plant contain oil that can be extracted and used to drive engines.
The companies will hold 50 percent stake each in the joint venture, to be named D1 Mohan Bio-oils Ltd, the company's CEO Mark Quinn told the media here Friday.
Quinn said two bio-diesel refineries will be set up by the new company. Local farmers will be assisted in the cultivation and harvesting of jatropha seed. The company will undertake refining and marketing of the bio-diesel. Farmers will be provided the know-how to market by-products like glycerine and seed cake, which can be used as fertiliser and animal feed. The first refinery in Chennai will have the capacity to produce 22,000 litres of bio-diesel a day. The initial investment in the project will be 900,000 pounds, the official said.
Besides, 1.75 million pounds will be invested in planting jatropha trees in 200,000 hectares of land this year. Mohan Breweries managing director N. Nandagopal said the company hopes to have five million hectares under jatropha cultivation by 2009. Indo-Asian News Service
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