Adani & Dioxycle partner to build India’s first low-carbon formic acid pilot plant

MUMBAI: Adani Group is turning carbon into commerce. The conglomerate has partnered with French climate technology company Dioxycle to develop low-carbon chemical manufacturing in India, beginning with what the companies describe as the country’s first pilot facility to produce formic acid using captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity.

The long-term partnership, announced jointly by Adani Enterprises Limited, the flagship company of the Adani Group, and Dioxycle, will see the pilot plant established at an Adani Group site. If the technology performs as expected, the partners plan to scale it into commercial production.

The project aims to demonstrate that captured carbon emissions can be transformed into valuable industrial chemicals rather than released into the atmosphere.

Formic acid is widely used across sectors including textiles, agriculture and manufacturing, making it an important industrial chemical. By replacing conventional fossil-based production with a process powered by renewable electricity and captured CO₂, the companies hope to reduce the carbon footprint associated with chemical manufacturing.

The collaboration combines Dioxycle’s electrically driven chemical production technology with Adani’s renewable energy portfolio, industrial infrastructure and large-scale project execution capabilities.

The companies said the partnership could create a new model for producing essential chemicals in a way that is both commercially competitive and environmentally sustainable.

Speaking about the project, Adani Group director Jeet Adani said, “We are proud to pilot India’s first formic acid production facility powered entirely by renewable electricity and captured carbon. This partnership with Dioxycle is a testament to how strategic industrial synergies can turn carbon liabilities into sustainable, cost-effective economic assets.”

Beyond formic acid, the two companies intend to explore opportunities to manufacture a broader range of low-carbon chemicals used in industries such as energy, packaging, advanced materials and manufacturing, many of which continue to rely on fossil-derived feedstocks and face increasing pressure to cut emissions.

Highlighting the broader significance of the collaboration, Dioxycle chief executive officer and co-founder Sarah Lamaison said, “This partnership demonstrates how clean technology and industrial scale can come together to reshape how essential chemicals are produced. India offers a unique combination of renewable energy, manufacturing capability, and ambition. Together with Adani, we aim to build a competitive and scalable model for low-carbon chemical production.”

For Adani Group, the initiative represents a strategic expansion into the chemicals sector, complementing its existing businesses in renewable energy, infrastructure and emerging industries. It also aligns with the group’s broader push into future-focused sectors such as green hydrogen, data centres, airports, roads, copper and petrochemicals.

The partnership also underscores growing cooperation between India and Europe in clean technologies. As global manufacturers seek to decarbonise supply chains and reduce dependence on fossil-based production, India is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for sustainable manufacturing, supported by expanding renewable energy capacity and industrial scale.

The companies said the initiative supports the government’s Make in India and Viksit Bharat 2047 ambitions by promoting advanced manufacturing, encouraging technology-led industrial growth and strengthening domestic capabilities in low-carbon production.

If successfully commercialised, the project could provide a blueprint for converting captured carbon into high-value industrial products, demonstrating how climate technologies can create both environmental and economic value while accelerating India’s transition towards cleaner manufacturing.