India’s first CO2-to-Methanol pilot plant launched in Pune

India’s first CO2-to-Methanol pilot plant has been unveiled at Thermax Limited’s premises in Pune, Maharashtra. This 1.4 tonnes-per-day capacity plant is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between IIT Delhi and Thermax Limited, with a project cost of Rs 310 million. It is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology.

The plant aims to advance indigenous carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies by developing new catalysts and processes to convert captured CO2 into chemicals. It will focus on both pre-combustion and post-combustion carbon capture, particularly from coal-based thermal plants, which account for about 30% of emissions. The project will assess the feasibility and commercial viability of scaling up CO2-to-chemical plants, aiding in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors.