SEDL unveils forward-looking roadmap for biomass to ethanol innovation for India’s green economy at global competitive cost

New Delhi: Spray Engineering Devices Ltd. (SEDL), a clean-tech engineering firm focused on thermal energy recovery and biomass valorisation, has unveiled a roadmap to accelerate sustainability in India’s sugar and ethanol industries. The company showcased how agricultural waste—including sugarcane bagasse and spent wash—can be converted into ethanol at globally competitive costs using electricity-driven gasification and circular processing technologies.

With India achieving 20% ethanol blending in petrol five years ahead of schedule and preparing for the E27 mandate rollout this August, SEDL’s innovations align closely with national goals around energy security, circular economy, and carbon neutrality. As per government data, ethanol blending has saved over ₹1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange over the past nine years, and the sector is on track to become a ₹1 lakh crore economy by 2027.

“India produces millions of tonnes of agri-residue that often go to waste,” said Vivek Verma, MD, SEDL. “Our technology enables the conversion of this biomass into clean fuels like ethanol and SAF, while delivering environmental and economic benefits at the grassroots level.”

A key feature of SEDL’s portfolio is its high-yield, electricity-driven gasification system for ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), capable of processing diverse feedstocks with minimal tar formation and energy outputs of 4,000–5,000 kWh per tonne.

The company also showcased its Smart Village Model—boilerless, MVR-powered jaggery units that run on solar energy, reuse water via Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), and support rural micro-enterprises.

For industrial water treatment, SEDL’s LTE® system (powered by MVR) achieves nearly 100% clean water recovery without steam or chemicals. Deployed at distilleries like Dalmia Bharat and Kibos Sugar (Kenya), it transforms distillery waste into reusable water for agriculture and in-process needs.

SEDL further highlighted two energy-efficient technologies for sugar mills: Honeycomb calandria batch pan that is in use at KM Sugar Mills and boosts crystallisation and cuts steam use by 15%. Second is Condensate-based juice heating system operational at mills including Uttam Sugar and Daurala, and it delivers 7–10% steam savings.

Recognising its technological contributions, SEDL recently received multiple awards, including the Excellence Award at the STAI Convention and the Best Machinery Manufacturing (Sugar) Award from Bharatiya Sugar.