India’s first bamboo-based ethanol plant was inaugurated in Assam, projected to significantly boost clean energy and rural livelihoods.
The facility, built near Numaligarh Refinery, will produce 48,900 MT of ethanol annually and use bamboo sourced from across the Northeast.
PM Modi emphasised energy self-sufficiency and criticised earlier restrictions on bamboo harvesting, framing the plant as a symbol of local empowerment and green development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated India’s first-ever bamboo-based ethanol plant in Assam’s Golaghat district, marking a major push towards clean energy and rural economic upliftment. The facility, developed by Assam Bio-Ethanol Private Limited (ABEL), is claimed to be the world’s first zero-waste bioethanol plant using green bamboo as a raw material.
Alongside, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a ₹7,230-crore polypropylene plant at the nearby Numaligarh Refinery, further strengthening Assam’s role in India’s energy roadmap.
Highlighting India’s rising energy needs, Modi emphasised the need for self-sufficiency in energy production, citing the importance of reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports. He noted that India, as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, must invest in green alternatives like bioethanol and solar energy while continuing hydrocarbon exploration through deep-water missions.
The bamboo-based ethanol plant is expected to produce nearly 48,900 metric tonnes of ethanol annually, sourcing five lakh tonnes of bamboo from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and other northeastern states. It will also produce acetic acid, furfural, and food-grade liquid CO₂, with an anticipated ₹200-crore boost to Assam’s rural economy. The project is a joint venture between Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Finland’s Fortum, and Chempolis OY.
Modi also took a swipe at past Congress-led governments for classifying bamboo as a tree, restricting its use. He credited the BJP-led government for removing the ban and enabling local communities and tribal farmers to benefit from bamboo cultivation.
