Microbes to Industrial Solutions: Fermentation Technology Research Centre

The Bioremediation and Microbial Biotechnology Area at TERI advances science-driven solutions tailored to the oil and gas sector, waste valorization, and emerging clean energy systems. Research in this domain focuses on the remediation of oil-contaminated sites, produced water, PCBs, microplastics, and other persistent pollutants through customized microbial consortia and nature-based approaches. These interventions support regulatory compliance, enhance the environmental performance of hydrocarbon operations, and contribute to long-term ecosystem restoration. In parallel, the programme develops microbial pathways for clean energy production, including bioconversion processes for methane generation and carbon management, aligning with national priorities on decarbonization and a circular bioeconomy.

To translate these laboratory innovations into deployable, industry-ready solutions, TERI leverages its Fermentation Technology Research Centre (FTRC) located at TERI Gram, Gurugram. Serving as a state-of-the-art scale-up and biomanufacturing platform, the centre houses a full spectrum of bioreactors ranging from 2.5 L to 15,000 L. This infrastructure enables the controlled cultivation, process optimization, and large-scale production of specialized microbial strains and formulations.

FTRC plays a strategic role in supporting oilfield biotechnologies (such as bioremediation, enhanced oil recovery, and flow assurance) as well as wider environmental remediation and industrial sustainability efforts. By seamlessly bridging microbial research with pilot-scale validation and commercial manufacturing, the facility strengthens indigenous bio