Synergy

Perhaps no other agricultural produce has as diverse use as sugarcane has. In sugar unit everything produced including the by-product and waste product has commercial value. Typically a large sugar conglomerate would not only have facility for manufacture of sugar but also would have facilities for value addition to by-products generated so that continuous enrichment takes place.

Distillery: Molasses, one of the by-products in sugar industry is a dark, viscous by-product and has nearly 45-50% of fermentable sugar. A distillery is proposed to be set up where sugar from molasses can be fermented, distilled to manufacture industrial alcohol. The industrial alcohol in turn can further be used for manufacture of IMFL and Country Liquor.

With certain add-on facilities the industrial alcohol can be further refined to produce absolute alcohol or gasohol, an eco-friendly substitute for fuel to be used in petrol driven vehicles. The use of gasohol as substitute for fuel offers exciting opportunity to conserve the scarce foreign exchange reserves of the country.

Chemical complex: Industrial alcohol manufactured is further proposed to be used in a chemical complex for manufacture of Lactic Acid, L Ephedrine and Lysine. Certain other value-added chemicals will also be manufactured with subtle changes in the manufacturing facilities.

Paper plant: Another important by-product emerging from a sugar unit is very high in fibre content. Bagasse is extensively used as principal raw material for manufacturing of paper, particleboard etc.

Co-generation: The calorific value of bagasse is very high and enables it to be used as non-conventional renewable fuel in co-generation set-up. The power generated besides being captively used can be sold to the state grid.