12-12-2013

IndianOil signs agreement with VITO

R&D Centre and VITO, Belgium, have signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) for joint research into utilisation of CO2 as a renewable & sustainable feedstock for the production of fuels & chemicals. This agreement was signed recently by Dr. RK Malhotra, Director (R&D) and Mr. Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director of VITO in the presence of HRH Princess Astrid, Belgium and Mr. Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Malhotra, said, “This strategic alliance shall fast track IndianOil’s efforts to realise our dream of sustainable and cleantech production”.

Mr. Kris Peeters, Minister-President and Minister for Economy, Foreign Policy, Agriculture & Rural Policy, Government of Flanders, Belgium, said, “IndianOil has chosen a right partner”.

VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) is a leading European independent research and consultancy centre in the areas of clean technology and sustainable development.

This alliance between IndianOil and VITO is for setting up a long term multidisciplinary collaborative R&D programme in the field of bio-electrochemistry. It rides on the fact that electro-bio-catalyzed conversion of CO2 to fuels and chemicals offers new possibilities to develop innovative approaches for CO2 re-use. This research will also be beneficial to climate change mitigation.

On the occasion, senior officials from R&D Centre, including Mr. BP Das, ED (Refining Technology), Dr. Anurag A Gupta, GM (Fuels) as well as senior scientists from Industrial Biotechnology department - Dr. MP Singh and Dr. Manoj Upreti were present. The research work in the areas identified in this agreement is being spearheaded by the Industrial Biotechnology group of R&D Centre.