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Science & Technology April 20, 2026 4 min read Daily brief · #3 of 55

CSIR-IICT scientists demonstrate green biofuel route from sugarcane waste

Scientists at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, demonstrated an improved Catalytic Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) pro...

GS Paper 3 (Science & Technology Environment Energy)

What Happened

  • Scientists at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, demonstrated an improved Catalytic Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) process to convert sugarcane bagasse into high-quality biofuel.
  • The research team, led by Alka Kumari along with Sri Chandana and T. Satish, under the guidance of CSIR-IICT Director D. Srinivas Reddy, achieved high-yield biofuel output from bagasse — the fibrous residue remaining after juice is extracted from crushed sugarcane.
  • The advance is significant for India's dual goals of reducing agricultural waste and accelerating the transition to cleaner, domestically produced liquid fuels.

Static Topic Bridges

CSIR-IICT: Mandate and Research Focus

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) is a premier national research laboratory headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, established in 1944 and operating under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. CSIR-IICT's research mandate covers chemical sciences, process chemistry, and materials — with a growing emphasis on sustainable chemistry and energy.

  • CSIR is India's largest publicly funded R&D organisation, with 37 laboratories across the country
  • CSIR-IICT is among CSIR's top-ranked labs; it holds DSIR recognition and has strong industry-academia partnerships
  • The lab has prior work in pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemicals, and increasingly in green energy processes
  • CSIR as a whole is headed by the Director General; the Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio President of CSIR

Connection to this news: The CSIR-IICT research team's HTL biofuel demonstration is a direct output of CSIR's mandate to develop indigenous, scalable technologies for industrial application — aligning with India's National Biofuel Policy.

Catalytic Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL)

Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) is a thermochemical process that converts wet biomass into biocrude (a crude-oil analogue) using high-temperature water (typically 250–374°C) and high pressure as the reaction medium, eliminating the energy-intensive pre-drying step required by conventional thermochemical routes. Catalytic HTL introduces catalysts to improve yield, selectivity, and the quality of the resulting biocrude.

  • HTL leverages water's unique properties near its supercritical state — it acts as both a reactant and a solvent, breaking down complex biomass polymers (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin)
  • Sugarcane bagasse is a lignocellulosic biomass, composed mainly of cellulose (~40%), hemicellulose (~25%), and lignin (~20%), making it a suitable HTL feedstock
  • Conventional 2G (second-generation) ethanol from bagasse uses enzymatic hydrolysis + fermentation; HTL produces biocrude that can be upgraded into drop-in fuels (diesel, jet fuel range)
  • Catalytic HTL improves the energy density and reduces the oxygen content of the output biocrude compared to uncatalysed HTL

Connection to this news: CSIR-IICT's improved catalytic HTL process demonstrates a more efficient, greener pathway than existing bagasse-to-biofuel routes — potentially reducing process costs and improving the economics of large-scale bagasse valorisation in India.

Sugarcane Bagasse and Agricultural Waste Utilisation in India

India is the world's second-largest sugarcane producer (after Brazil), producing approximately 400–450 million tonnes of sugarcane per year. For every tonne of sugarcane crushed, roughly 280–300 kg of bagasse is generated. India's sugar industry generates over 100 million tonnes of bagasse annually — a significant feedstock resource currently used primarily for power co-generation in sugar mills.

  • India has ~530 sugar mills; many use bagasse for in-house steam and electricity generation (co-generation)
  • Surplus bagasse is also used in paper manufacturing and as a raw material for particleboard
  • Biofuel use of bagasse is growing: it is the primary feedstock for 2G ethanol plants under the government's Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP)
  • The government-backed 2G ethanol plants — such as those under Indian Oil Corporation at Panipat and HPCL at Bathinda — specifically use cellulosic/lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock

Connection to this news: An improved HTL route from CSIR-IICT expands India's technological toolkit for bagasse valorisation beyond existing co-generation and 2G ethanol pathways — offering a potentially higher-value biofuel output from the same agricultural waste.

National Biofuel Policy 2018 (and 2022 Amendments)

The National Biofuel Policy (NBP) 2018, notified by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, provides the overarching framework for biofuel development in India. It was amended in 2022 to advance the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) target and expand permissible feedstocks.

  • The NBP 2018 categorises biofuels into Generations (1G, 2G, 3G) based on feedstock type
  • 1G biofuels use food-based feedstocks (molasses, sugarcane juice, starch-rich grains); 2G biofuels use non-food lignocellulosic biomass (bagasse, crop stubble, agricultural residue)
  • India's EBP target: 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025–26 (advanced from the original 2030 target by the 2022 amendment)
  • Advanced biofuels (2G and beyond) receive priority under the policy to avoid food-vs-fuel conflicts
  • The policy provides viability gap funding, purchase obligations for OMCs, and incentives for 2G ethanol plant investment

Connection to this news: The CSIR-IICT HTL process fits squarely within the 2G/advanced biofuel pathway championed by the NBP — offering a route to higher-quality liquid fuel (biocrude) from agricultural residue, potentially complementing the existing 2G ethanol infrastructure.

Key Facts & Data

  • CSIR-IICT location: Hyderabad, Telangana; established: 1944; under Ministry of Science and Technology
  • India's annual sugarcane production: ~400–450 million tonnes (world's 2nd largest producer)
  • Bagasse generated per tonne of crushed sugarcane: ~280–300 kg
  • India's total estimated annual bagasse: over 100 million tonnes
  • HTL reaction conditions: ~250–374°C, high pressure, water as medium/solvent
  • Sugarcane bagasse composition: ~40% cellulose, ~25% hemicellulose, ~20% lignin
  • India's EBP target: 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025–26
  • National Biofuel Policy: notified in 2018, amended in 2022
  • CSIR labs in India: 37 (CSIR-IICT is one of the premier chemical science labs)
On this page
  1. What Happened
  2. Static Topic Bridges
  3. CSIR-IICT: Mandate and Research Focus
  4. Catalytic Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL)
  5. Sugarcane Bagasse and Agricultural Waste Utilisation in India
  6. National Biofuel Policy 2018 (and 2022 Amendments)
  7. Key Facts & Data
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