Date:04/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/04/stories/2006020402910200.htm

Back TERI, BP undertake $9.4-m bio-fuel production project

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Feb. 3

BP (British Petroleum) and The Energy and Resources Institute on Thursday announced that they will jointly undertake a $9.4-million project for bio-fuel production.

In a statement issued here, TERI said that BP would fund the project, which would be implemented by TERI in Andhra Pradesh to demonstrate the feasibility of producing bio-diesel from Jatropha curcas, a non-edible oil bearing crop.

The project, which is expected to take 10 years, will cultivate around 8,000 hectares currently designated as wasteland with jatropha and install all the equipment necessary for seed crushing, oil extraction and processing to produce 9 million litres of bio-diesel a year.A full environmental and social impact assessment on the supply chain and a life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions will be completed as part of the project.

TERI will be responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of the project.

TERI's Director-General, Dr R. K. Pachauri, while announcing the deal said, "Recent developments have made green fuels economically attractive in view of the resource potential of this option and the environmental benefits associated with it, along with employment generation and empowerment of the rural population."