In a milestone for India's dairy and renewable energy sectors, Amul—under the aegis of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)—has successfully produced bioethanol from acid whey, a typically discarded byproduct of cheese and paneer production.
The large-scale pilot trial has now paved the way for a ₹70 crore bioethanol plant in Gujarat with a proposed daily production capacity of 50,000 litres of ethanol. This could potentially redefine the value of dairy byproducts and support India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program, which targets a 20% blending rate.
“We’ve proven that whey, particularly acid whey from paneer and cheese, can be a viable source of ethanol,” said Jayen Mehta, MD of GCMMF. “This isn’t just innovation—it’s circular economy in action, turning dairy waste into wealth for our 3.6 million farmer-owners.”
🧪 From Waste to Wealth: The Acid Whey Advantage
The trial, conducted at a facility in Dharikheda, Bharuch district, in partnership with Nacooperative cooperative, processed 4.5 lakh litres of acid whey, yielding 20,000 litres of rectified spirit with 96.71% ethanol purity. This equates to a 4.4% recovery rate, which Mehta notes can be optimised up to 8% with process refinement and strain improvements.
Importantly, this bioethanol is derived from acid whey, a lactose-rich liquid left over after paneer and soft cheese production, which typically poses a disposal challenge for dairy units. Unlike sweet whey from chhena or Greek yoghurt, acid whey contains fewer valuable proteins but high fermentable sugars, making it a suitable substrate for ethanol fermentation.
Along with ethanol, the process yields biogas (methane), dry ice, and distilled water, reinforcing its zero-waste credentials and potential for integration into green dairy infrastructure.
🏭 Operational Readiness and Strategic Expansion
Amul currently processes 3 million litres of whey daily across three central cheese units in Khatraj, Palanpur, and Himatnagar, as well as paneer production in over 15 facilities across India. With such scale, the bioethanol model offers both economic and environmental dividends.
The ₹70 crore plant will be built with modular scalability and may incorporate Gujarat's sugar cooperative ethanol units to share infrastructure and accelerate deployment.
“Bioethanol from dairy offers us energy independence, waste management, and a new income stream—all while decarbonizing supply chains,” said an industry expert aligned with GCMMF’s sustainability initiatives.
⚙️ Policy Alignment and Industry Significance
This innovation supports national priorities outlined in India's Bio-Energy Policy, the E20 fuel roadmap, and its net-zero ambitions. It also positions GCMMF as a pioneer in dairy-based biorefinery models, with potential replication by other federations and private dairies.
🌿 Sustainability and Future Impact
Amul's model not only prevents environmental hazards associated with acid whey disposal—such as high BOD levels in water systems—but also offsets fossil fuel consumption.
From a dairy policy and waste valorisation perspective, this move reinforces the industry's shift toward multi-stream utilisation, supporting resilience, profitability, and climate-smart dairy practices.
