BPCL and CSE Sign MoU to Collaborate on Biofuels and Circular Economy Initiatives

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to collaborate on a series of environmental and energy initiatives. The partnership will cover biofuels, biomass utilisation, waste-to-resource solutions, and circular economy projects.

According to the details of the agreement, the collaboration spans the full biofuels value chain, which includes Compressed Biogas (CBG). Key areas of joint work identified by both organisations comprise feedstock assessment, supply chain development, biomass and waste resource management, technology evaluation, and pilot projects. Additionally, BPCL and CSE will explore market development, capacity building, and knowledge sharing.

The MoU also outlines plans to assess and utilise biofuel by-products. These include Fermented Organic Manure (FOM), digestate, Bio-CO₂, and Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS). Furthermore, the partnership will examine potential carbon credit opportunities linked to these bioenergy projects.

Speaking on the development, BPCL Director of Marketing Subhankar Sen stated that the collaboration represents a significant moment for the company. He emphasised that combining the strengths of both organisations could achieve outcomes that neither could deliver independently. The Director General of CSE noted that the partnership would draw on CSE’s expertise with municipalities and the CBG ecosystem, alongside BPCL’s industrial and execution capabilities.

Specific projects emerging under the MoU will be governed by separate agreements that will define the scope, responsibilities, and implementation details for each initiative.

BPCL is a Fortune Global 500 company and functions as India’s second-largest oil marketing company, operating refineries in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina with a combined capacity of approximately 35.3 million tonnes per annum. The company has a stated target to achieve net-zero emissions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2040. CSE is a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organisation focused on environment and development issues.

"The strategic partnership between BPCL and CSE highlights a growing emphasis on collaborative approaches to sustainability and renewable energy within the Indian business landscape. By aligning industrial execution capabilities with specialized environmental expertise, large energy firms can more effectively address the complexities of the biofuels value chain and waste-to-resource management. This collaboration demonstrates how traditional energy sectors are increasingly integrating circular economy principles into their long-term operational frameworks, which is essential for meeting large-scale environmental targets such as net-zero emissions." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes