India Unveils First CO2-to-Methanol Pilot Plant in Pune

Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, laid the foundation stone for India’s first CO2-to-Methanol pilot plant at Thermax Limited’s premises in Pune. With a capacity of 1.4 Tons Per Day (TPD), the plant represents a pioneering effort in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technology. The project is being implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Thermax Limited, supported by DST with an overall cost of approximately ₹31 crore.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by senior officials from DST’s Climate, Energy, and Sustainable Technology (CEST) division, including Dr. Anita Gupta, Adviser and Head, and Dr. Neelima Alam, Associate Head. Dr. Karandikar highlighted the significance of this pilot plant in advancing indigenous CCU technologies, marking a key milestone towards India’s Panchamrit declaration, a commitment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during COP 26. The initiative is part of a broader strategy recommended by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) office and NITI Aayog to establish a National Mission on CCUS.

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum, is also developing a policy for the introduction of 15% methanol-blended diesel, aimed at reducing India’s dependence on crude oil imports. The DST is playing a leading role in CCUS research and development, supporting national and international engagements such as Mission Innovation, ACT (Accelerating CCUS Technology), and the Clean Energy Transition Programs (CETP). It has also set up three CCUS National Centers of Excellence involving premier institutes.

Dr. Gupta emphasized that the IIT Delhi-Thermax Limited collaboration would establish a first-of-its-kind CCU living lab. The lab will focus on developing catalysts and processes for converting captured CO2 into chemicals, reducing emissions from pre- and post-combustion processes. A techno-economic analysis will be conducted to assess the commercial viability of the CO2-to-Methanol conversion, particularly for decarbonizing the coal-based thermal sector, which accounts for 30% of India’s emissions.

She further stated that the insights gained from this pilot plant could pave the way for scaling up CO2-to-chemical plants and decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, aligning with the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.