India’s First Bio-Refinery to be Inaugurated in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first bio-refinery at Numaligarh Refinery in Assam’s Golaghat district on September 14. Built at a cost of ₹7,200 crore, the plant will produce ethanol from bamboo, marking a milestone in sustainable energy.

The refinery will source bamboo from around 3,000 local farmers, generating annual transactions worth ₹200 crore and creating significant economic impact. It will process 5 lakh tonnes of bamboo annually to produce 50,000 tonnes of ethanol, along with furfural, acetic acid, and enzymes.

Designed as a carbon-negative facility, the plant will generate 25 MW of green power, while also exploring biochar and biotech ventures with IIT Guwahati. Officials said the project will cut crude oil imports, save foreign exchange, and reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%.