October 6, 2016
Maharashtra inks MoU for coal-based urea plant in Chandrapur

Mumbai, Oct 6 (PTI) The Maharashtra government today inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US-based Stonetek Energy Pvt Ltd to set up a urea manufacturing plant in Chandrapur district.

With total investment of Rs 6,500 crore, the plant is set to come up at Bhadravati tehsil of the district, which has major stocks of coal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis along with Union minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir, who hails from Chandrapur district, were present when the pact was signed.

Richard Harold Stone, Chairman of Stonetek, inked the pact for the plant. Stonetek, is a subsidiary of US-based Environmental Energy and Finance Corporation Ltd.

The technology -- Coal Based Fertilizer Manufacturing with Coal gasification technology -- is going to be implemented for the first time in the country, with lower production cost and minimal emission, Ahir said.

The existing urea manufacturing plants are either gas based on naphtha based -- both having higher production cost. It would take 36 months to commence the plant, he added.

"Post MoU, feasibility study followed by environment impact assessment would be undertaken. The technology is eco-friendly and being implemented in Chandrapur as a pilot plant. Once it is successful, it could be replicated elsewhere," Stone said. PTI ND NRB MR........   View More

October 6, 2016
Maharashtra govt inks MoU with US-based Stonetek Energy Pvt Ltd to set up a urea manufacturing plant in Chandrapur district

October 6, 2016
Maharashtra inks MoU for coal-based urea plant in Chandrapur

The Maharashtra government today inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US-based Stonetek Energy Pvt Ltd to set up a urea manufacturing plant in Chandrapur district.

With total investment of Rs 6,500 crore, the plant is set to come up at Bhadravati tehsil of the district, which has major stocks of coal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis along with Union minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir, who hails from Chandrapur district, were present when the pact was signed.

Richard Harold Stone, Chairman of Stonetek, inked the pact for the plant. Stonetek, is a subsidiary of US-based Environmental Energy and Finance Corporation Ltd.

The technology -- Coal Based Fertilizer Manufacturing with Coal gasification technology -- is going to be implemented for the first time in the country, with lower production cost and minimal emission, Ahir said.

The existing urea manufacturing plants are either gas based on naphtha based -- both having higher production cost. It would take 36 months to commence the plant, he added.

"Post MoU, feasibility study followed by environment impact assessment would be undertaken. The technology is eco-friendly and being implemented in Chandrapur as a pilot plant. Once it is successful, it could be replicated elsewhere," Stone said........ View More

Oct 17, 2016
Country’s first coal-based urea plant may be set up in Chandrapur

Nagpur: The country's first plant to produce urea from coal, which will make the fertiliser cheaper for farmers, may be set up in the state. The Maharashtra government has signed a memorandum of understanding with a US-based company to set up the plant at Bhadravati near Chandrapur, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters on Sunday. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis later confirmed that it will be a Rs 4,000-crore project by Stonetek Energy.

Urea is largely imported and the plant will reduce India's dependence on imports. Urea which is made out of naphtha costs nearly Rs 40,000 a ton and Gadkari said the price can be halved if it is produced in India out of coal, which is in abundance in Vidarbha. The process for securing linkage from Western Coalfields Limited is under way and the ministry of coal will be approached soon. Gadkari, who was briefing newspersons about the Agrovision farm expo to be held from November 12 to 14, added that Maharashtra can enter into a urea purchase agreement with the company and get the fertiliser at an even cheaper rate. The company also has a coal gassifciaton technology which can provide alternate fuel.

Sources said that the MoU was signed on October 6 and the project will come up on the land earlier allotted to Nippon Denro Limited, which had shelved a plan to set up a 1,000MW power plant. The Chandrapur district administration has been asked to identify around 800 acres of land from the 3,000 acres allotted to Nippon Denro.

Research says that a chemical similar to urea can be extracted out of fly ash also. This concept will also be exploited. Flyash is generated from coal burnt in power plants and is a major pollutant...... View More