📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prad2609
Business
Foundation laid for 150‑TPD e‑methanol plant at Kandla, Gujarat
✍️ The Assam Tribune
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 05:01 PM
👁 9
Assam and Gujarat officials inaugurated the foundation stone of a 150‑tonne‑per‑day e‑methanol plant at Kandla, marking a major step in India's green fuel push.
Government representatives from Assam and Gujarat gathered at Kandla port on Thursday to lay the foundation stone for a new e‑methanol production facility. The plant, designed to process 150 tonnes of methanol per day, will use electricity generated from renewable sources to synthesize methanol from captured carbon dioxide, aligning with the national agenda to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The project is part of the broader "green fuel" strategy championed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which aims to develop alternative fuels for transport and industry. Officials said the plant will serve as a pilot for scaling up e‑methanol production across the country, potentially creating a supply chain for cleaner diesel blends and marine fuels.
Construction is slated to begin later this year, with an expected operational date in 2028. The venture is being backed by state governments and private partners, though financial details were not disclosed. Stakeholders highlighted the plant's potential to generate skilled jobs and stimulate ancillary industries in the Kandla region.
Environmental groups welcomed the initiative, noting that e‑methanol can lower greenhouse‑gas emissions when produced using renewable electricity. However, they also urged transparent monitoring of the plant's carbon footprint and water usage.
The foundation ceremony underscores Gujarat's growing role as a hub for clean energy projects, while Assam's involvement reflects its ambition to contribute to the emerging green fuel ecosystem despite being geographically distant from the plant site.
The project is part of the broader "green fuel" strategy championed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which aims to develop alternative fuels for transport and industry. Officials said the plant will serve as a pilot for scaling up e‑methanol production across the country, potentially creating a supply chain for cleaner diesel blends and marine fuels.
Construction is slated to begin later this year, with an expected operational date in 2028. The venture is being backed by state governments and private partners, though financial details were not disclosed. Stakeholders highlighted the plant's potential to generate skilled jobs and stimulate ancillary industries in the Kandla region.
Environmental groups welcomed the initiative, noting that e‑methanol can lower greenhouse‑gas emissions when produced using renewable electricity. However, they also urged transparent monitoring of the plant's carbon footprint and water usage.
The foundation ceremony underscores Gujarat's growing role as a hub for clean energy projects, while Assam's involvement reflects its ambition to contribute to the emerging green fuel ecosystem despite being geographically distant from the plant site.