Thermax, Ankur Scientific to build 18,000 TPA green methanol facility in Gujarat

Thermax Limited has partnered with Ankur Scientific, a global leader in bioenergy and waste-to-energy solutions, to set up India’s first Green Methanol Production Facility at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, Gujarat.

The collaboration brings together Thermax’s expertise in fuel and chemical processing with Ankur Scientific’s advanced biomass gasification technology.

India’s shipping industry, contributing around 3% of total national emissions, is a major driver of fuel demand and is expected to require 37,000 tonnes of methanol by 2030. With a production capacity of 18,000 tonnes, the facility will address nearly half of this demand, offering a scalable, low-emission alternative that supports self-reliance and reduces import needs.

The facility, spread across nearly one acre within the port premises, is designed as a modular, integrated unit and is expected to produce around 5 tonnes of green methanol per day, meeting international quality standards ASTM grade with purity more than 99.9% and plant with certification confirming to EU green Bio-Methanol.

The methanol produced will be used as a cleaner fuel for shipping, supporting efforts to transition away from fossil fuels. Aligned with the Ministry’s focus on sustainable alternatives for hard-to-abate sectors like maritime, DPA is among the first ports in India to implement such an initiative.

The project also addresses an environmental challenge by utilising Ganda Baval (mesquite), a widely available, low-value biomass that offers limited agricultural use, as a feedstock. It will be processed using Ankur Scientific’s gasification technology, with Thermax Limited integrating its fuel processing capabilities to convert it into standard-grade methanol, creating value from underutilised biomass while supporting a more circular and sustainable energy ecosystem.

Sushil Kumar Singh, IRSME Chairperson at Deendayal Port Authority(DPA), said, “This project is a significant step towards enabling sustainable solutions in the maritime sector, while reinforcing our commitment to future-ready, environmentally responsible port operations.”

Ankur Jain, Managing Director of Ankur Scientific, said, “We are proud to be part of this initiative, which highlights the potential of biomass-based technologies in producing clean fuels at scale and supporting India’s transition towards sustainable energy.”