In an effort to address the state's stubble-burning issue, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) decided to build a Second Generation (2G) bio-refinery plant in Bathinda, Punjab, at a cost of more than Rs 1,400 crore.

In accordance with the Central Government's Ethanol Blending Programme, the 2G bio-refinery is intended to use paddy straw to produce ethanol that can be blended with gasoline.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) is also keeping an eye on the plant's setup. The Commission has visited the Bathinda facility and discussed the progress with the CMD, HPCL, and Bathinda District Administration.

This 2G ethanol plant is intended to produce 100 Kilo Litre (KL) of ethanol per day; when the plant is operating at maximum capacity, 570 MT of paddy straw would be used daily (2,00,000 MT yearly) for this purpose. This season, some 1 lakh MT of biomass will be acquired to serve as feedstock for the next 2G ethanol plant, which should be put into service by the end of this year.

Biomass procurement has already started at the plant, and it is anticipated to pick up speed in the coming days. To expedite and settle procurement-related disputes, HPCL has been working with the Punjab State Government, the District Administration, and the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

Agreements have been established with Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Bathinda and nearby areas for paddy straw procurement. More than 23,000 MT of paddy straw has already been aggregated.

This plant is expected to have a major impact on the decrease in paddy straw burning incidents in Punjab, particularly in Bathinda District, both this year and in the future.

The impact is already visible, as for the period September 15 to November 1 this year, total paddy stubble burning cases in Bathinda have come down to 294 as against 880 in 2022.

Image source: ANI