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STEP wins SERB-IGCW 2017 award for Green Technology

05-Oct-2017

STEP Pvt. Ltd. has won the ‘SERB-IGCW 2017 Award for Green Technology’ in the small scale company category at the recently concluded Industrial Green Chemistry World (IGCW) 2017 conference held in Mumbai from October 5, 2017. The award was for the novel Downflow Gas Contactor (DGC) reactor technology from its UK partner, WRK Design and Services Ltd., which STEP is promoting in  India and Asia-Pacific. 

The DGC reactor can be used for effluent treatment, gas absorption and chemical reactions.The award was received from Mr. Rajiv Sharma, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which is part of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.The award selection committee had two representatives from SERB two independent experts in the area of Green Chemistry, including Dr. David Constable, Science Director-Green Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS). Green Chemistry is a global movement, which is pushing for cleaner and safer chemical processes that reduce waste/effluent generation.

In talks for commercial plant: According to Dr. M.G. Palekar, Head – Strategy & Technology, STEP, the company  is currently discussing with few clients for possibi- lity of setting commercial plant for effluent treatment plant based on the initial trials taken on the effluent streams of these companies.

STEP signed a MOU with Pune-based United Envirotech Pvt. Ltd., in September 2017, to set up a pilot plant for demonstrating and  establishing biogas upgradation techno- logy for removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from biogas. The biogas upgradation technology uses a water-based solvent and has been patented by WRK.

“We are also in discussion with an European and an Indian company to set up pilot plants for specific gas-li- quid chemical reactions,” Dr. Palekar added.