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Numaligarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first bamboo-based bio-refinery at Numaligarh Refinery in Assam’s Golaghat district on September 14. The landmark ₹7,200-crore project, set to produce ethanol from bamboo, marks a pioneering step in the country’s sustainable energy mission.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Bhaskar Jyoti Phukan, CEO of Numaligarh Refinery, said, “This will be the first project in India where ethanol will be produced from bamboo. Alongside the inauguration, the foundation stone for a ₹7,200 crore polypropylene project will also be laid.”
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Phukan noted that ethanol use would reduce India’s reliance on imported crude oil, saving foreign currency and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 80% compared to petrol.
The refinery will source bamboo directly from around 3,000 farmers across Assam, ensuring annual transactions worth nearly ₹200 crore. “This project will create a major economic impact for the local community,” Phukan added.
Designed as a carbon-negative facility, the plant will process 5 lakh tonnes of bamboo annually, yielding 50,000 tonnes of ethanol, along with 18,000 tonnes of furfural, 11,000 tonnes of acetic acid, and valuable by-products like enzymes and formic acid. Residual biomass will generate 25 MW of green power, with 5 MW supplied to the refinery.
Numaligarh Refinery is also collaborating with IIT Guwahati on a pyrolysis project to produce biochar from bamboo waste, supporting local biotech startups, and expanding formic acid production.
“The bio-refinery is not just about ethanol. It will redefine Assam’s role in India’s green energy landscape, combining environmental sustainability with economic growth,” Phukan said. The facility is expected to be operational by December 2025, positioning Assam as a key player in the country’s renewable energy drive.