Indian company to use solid catalyst

A U.S.-based biofuel company, in association with Indian petroleum majors and National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), in Pune, India, would set up the first biodiesel pilot plant using solid catalyst by 2008, according to a top scientist. The company, New Century Lubricants, which bagged the exclusive license to NCL’s patented invention “solid catalyst” in November 2006, is expected to tie up with one of the Indian petroleum companies and start manufacturing cost-effective biodiesel in 2008, said Darbha Srinivas, scientist, Catalysis Division, NCL. NCL scientists will operate the plant, using it to evaluate the technology and its performance with a variety of feedstocks. (January 5, 2007)