The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : CLRI transfers biodiesel technology to Tiruchi-based firm

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

CLRI transfers biodiesel technology to Tiruchi-based firm

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) on Wednesday formally transferred a technology it had developed for producing biodiesel to Tiruchi-based Vel Biodiesel Energy for commercial exploitation.

At a function organised here, coinciding with the Founder’s Day of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), of which CLRI is a part, the documents for the technology transfer were handed over to the company.

CLRI director A.B. Mandal said work on the biodiesel technology began in 2000, and a patent for the product was obtained in 2003. After testing the product at the Indian Institute of Petroleum, it was tested in Anna University and then used in MTC buses for road trials, running for around 26,000 km.

K.C. Vellappan, a scientist at CLRI, said biodiesel could be manufactured using seven industrial-grade vegetable oils, including coconut, groundnut and rice bran oil.“Most biodiesels available give an emission reduction of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon particles. But, there is an increase of nitrogen oxides, which, if accumulated can cause acid rains.”

Chairman of Vel Biodiesel Energy S.P. Velayathan said using the technology the company would get into biodiesel production and the product sold to the government or private companies. “We will give around 10 per cent reduction on current fuel prices,” he added. Production would start in two months, and the Tiruchi unit would produce 40,000 litres a day, he said. Vel Biodiesel Energy paid Rs. 1 crore for the technology and will pay a royalty of Rs. 3.84 crore in four instalments to CLRI within the next four years. IIT Madras director M.S. Ananth said educational institutions such as the IIT should not indulge in patents or use intellectual property rights over discoveries. “It takes them away from their mandate, makes professors secretive,” he said.

Prof. Ananth emphasised the necessity of research parks in India. The annual report of the CLRI was released at the function. Revathy Roy, managing director, RR Leather Products, was present on the occasion.

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