Organic Recycling Systems Limited (ORSL), in collaboration with IIT Bombay (IITB) and IIT Kharagpur (IITKgp), has secured a landmark research grant under the DBT–BIRAC Joint Call on Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). ORSL is now the first Indian company to receive this prestigious grant for CCU under the BioE3 Policy for High-Performance Biomanufacturing.
Transforming CO₂ Management in the CBG Sector
India’s Compressed Biogas (CBG) industry continues to grow rapidly, yet many plants still vent or flare large volumes of purified CO₂ due to limited utilisation pathways. The new Bio-CCU platform developed by ORSL and its partners aims to change this landscape.
Using advanced biotechnological and photocatalytic interventions, the platform can convert unutilised CO₂ into bio-alcohols, specialty chemicals, nutritional supplements, and industrial additives. This breakthrough approach will create new revenue streams and significantly improve the economics of CBG plants across the country.
About the Project
The project, titled “Integrating Biotechnological Interventions to Capture and Utilize CO₂ from Biogas via Algal Cultivation and Photocatalytic Conversion to Mixed Alcohols”, will be implemented at the ORSL Research Innovation Centre (RIC) in Navi Mumbai.
Duration: 24 months
Project Cost: INR 187.17 lakh
The initiative will support India’s national missions on net-zero emissions, circular carbon economy, waste-to-wealth innovation, and sustainable biomanufacturing.
Leadership Insights
Sarang Bhand, Managing Director, ORSL, stated, “This project is a major milestone for India’s bioenergy and carbon circularity roadmap. To meet the target of reducing carbon intensity by 45% by 2030, we must accelerate public and private R&D efforts. Collaborations between academia and industry are crucial to shortening the technology development cycle and enabling successful pilot demonstrations. The IITB–IITKgp–ORSL partnership is the first step toward building innovative CCU and clean-tech solutions. The BIRAC grant under the BioE3 program will be pivotal in redefining how India manages and valorises biogenic CO₂.”
ORSL R&D Perspective
Dr. Manju Tanwar, Chief Scientist and Principal Investigator, ORSL, added, “This project brings together frontier biotechnology, algal engineering, and MXene-based photocatalysis at a scale not previously attempted in India. Our objective is to build a near-zero CO₂ emission biogas platform that sets a new national benchmark in the Waste to Energy sector.”
Academic Partners on Scientific Innovation
Prof. Dr. Indrajit Chakraborty, IIT Bombay, said, “Advanced photobioreactor-based CO₂ fixation offers a high-impact pathway for sustainable carbon utilisation. This collaboration will help create a replicable model for India’s evolving energy infrastructure.”
Prof. Dr. Koustuv Ray, IIT Kharagpur, highlighted, “Selective photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ into mixed alcohols has immense potential for future biorefineries and green chemical manufacturing. The multidisciplinary nature of this project is key to driving climate-relevant innovation.”
Driving India’s Leadership in Indigenous CCU Technologies
ORSL is the first Indian company to win this grant. It is set to lead the development of home-grown CCU solutions, transforming biogas plants nationwide and accelerating industrial decarbonisation. ORSL and its partnering institutes expressed gratitude to DBT, BIRAC, and the Government of India. They thanked them for creating an enabling ecosystem for breakthrough CCU innovations. These forward-looking national initiatives are strengthening India’s capabilities in sustainable biomanufacturing, clean energy transition, and industrial-scale decarbonisation.
