Indian Oil and Lanzatech to set-up pilot plant for CO2-lipids

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s largest fuel retailer, will inaugurate India’s first pilot plant to convert carbon dioxide to high-value lipids, acetic acid, and algal oil  at its R&D facility in Faridabad.

The pilot plant which has been set-up by IOC and Lanzatech, a US based bio-tech company is looking at converting carbon dioxide to omega fatty acids using patented technology owned by IOC and Lanzatech.

“It is a 100 litre plant which will capture around 10 kg of carbon dioxide daily, LanzaTech using its proprietary anaerobic gas fermentation process will convert carbon dioxide to acetic acid and IOC using its proprietary aerobic fermentation process will convert acetic acid to lipids. We will be able to produce around 700 grams of Omega 3 fatty acid and 700 grams of lipids, it is a bio-fuel,” an IOC executive explained.

He added that this would be the first of its kind plant in the world and the Omega 3 produced can various applications, including medicinal and lipid produced can be used as a bio-fuel to power engines.

IOC will also lay the foundation stone for the 5-tonne biomethanation plant being constructed at the retailers R&D facility.