Hyderabad-based MicroBite plans to set up bioethanol plant in Telangana

Hyderabad: MicroBite, city-based company, has developed a technology that will reduce the time for fermentation. This has a bearing for the ethanol and beverage industries. Lower fermentation times mean faster production times. The company has drawn up plans to set up a five kilo litre pre day (KLPD) capacity bioethanol plant in the State. It […]

Hyderabad: MicroBite, city-based company, has developed a technology that will reduce the time for fermentation. This has a bearing for the ethanol and beverage industries. Lower fermentation times mean faster production times.

The company has drawn up plans to set up a five kilo litre pre day (KLPD) capacity bioethanol plant in the State. It is looking at Nalgonda, Zaheerabad and Siddipet as the possible locations. These are shortlisted due to the availability of molasses.

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MicroBite is a sister concern company of city-based The Phi Factory, that he co-founded with Dr Meghana Reddy Jale. The Phi Factory is a science-based company that offers research-as-a-service.

“We have developed a microreactor that will reduce the fermentation time. Normally, bioethanol uses batch process requiring the select materials to be left undisturbed for 24 to 72 hours for the fermentation to happen. Once done, this is replaced with a new batch. Our technology makes it a continuous process. This makes the bioethanol making process more efficient, faster and cheaper,” said Praveen Gorakavi, CEO, Microbite.

MicroBite has raised about $ 1.5 million (about Rs 11.2 crore) in a Pre-Series A funding round from Vijay Madduri, co-owner of Hyderabad Football Club, and other angel investors. The company will use the funds to set up tglhe proposed bioethanol plant using its proprietary `counter-flow multistage extractive fermentation’ technology.

The microreactor, with one KLPD capacity, can be housed in about 100 sqft. The machinery is custom-made. “We will enter into strategic partnerships in multiple locations. They will use our technology and machinery to make ethanol. We will market their output under our brand,” said Gorakavi adding that 37 patents are registered for the technology.

On the possible use cases, he said bioethanol is used for blending with the fuels. Now, the blending percentage is about eight per cent and the Government of India has set targets to increase to 20 per cent. This will result in huge savings in the forex. “Given the potential we have, we are in an ethanol rush,” he said.

“The capital required for setting up one KLPD unit will be nearly one-fourth of that required for ethanol units using the traditional methodologies. Also, the production will increase by nearly four times due to higher reaction kinetic numbers,” he explained.

The fermentation technology will find a use in active pharmaceutical industry, bioplastics, beverages and sugar industries, he said. The company is in talks with two beverage players that make vodka and other products and a sugar player as well, he said.

Gorakavi said his technology allows the fermenters to switch between grain-based and molasses-based even during the operation. The company’s first bioethanol plant will be ready by July or August. It will do the trial runs and training for the resource persons shortly. “We will ready with some stocks when the oil manufacturing companies call the tenders for bioethanol,” said Gorakavi adding that the company has plans to produce 75 KLPD bioethanol in two to three years, including through its partners.

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