Praj Inds bags Belgian contract

Praj Industries Ltd has won the second phase of contract for the wheat and beet-based bio-ethanol plant for through De Smet S A Engineers & Contractors, EPC contractor engaged by Biowanze for the project.

Biowanze SA is a subsidiary of CropEnergies AG (a Sudzucker Group Company),

A communication from the company said that the contract is valued around Rs 65 crore (¤11.5 million).

The second phase involves the supply of equipment for the core bio-ethanol process plant comprising liquefaction, fermentation, multi-pressure distillation, dehydration and vinasse evaporation, the communication said.

¤5.4 billion Sudzucker Group, with 44 sugar factories across Europe, is the largest sugar producer in Europe. CropEnergies AG is also a leading producer of bio-ethanol in Europe.

Anil Deshpande, Praj's President for European operations, said, "Europe is experiencing growth in ethanol plant installation. Praj has already made headway in the European ethanol industry with orders from British Sugar and Suedzucker group in Western Europe and from firms in Eastern Europe for technology and equipment. Going forward, we see a lot of potential, particularly in light of the recent endorsement of biofuels policy by European Council." According to a communication, in the first phase, the contract included licence, basic engineering and other services for their proposed 300,000 cubic metre bio-ethanol complex at Wanze in Belgium.

The value of the order in the first phase was Euro 2 million (approximately Rs 11 crore).