RANCHI: Vishal Prasad Gupta, who hit the headlines for extracting bio-diesel from micro algae found in water bodies, has been invited by the Indian Oil Corporation for collaboration to explore the potential of his technology.
Apart from IOC, Gupta claimed, he was approached by Kerala government and many oil majors after a report related to his ‘invention’ was published in November 18 edition of ‘The Morning Standard’.
Gupta has been manufacturing the bio-fuel at a small plant set up on the outskirts of Ranchi after obtaining approval from the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The engineering graduate is likely to sign an agreement with IOC in New Delhi on Monday. “I have been offered to collaborate with IOC for utilising the potential of algae based biodiesel in India,” he said.
“After the report was published in The Morning Standard, IOC officials contacted and asked me to give an online presentation before a team of 250 experts.”
‘‘Basically, they wanted me to apprise them on the technology, its commercial aspect and potential to develop algae-based biodiesel in India,” he said.
After the presentation, the expert team appreciated his initiative, Gupta said, adding that the IOC officials immediately invited him to Delhi for signing an agreement for collaboration.