Bheema Bamboo

Software giant Infosys has grown about 32,000 bamboo trees of Bheema variety on a 35-acre plantation in Bengaluru’s Sarjapur. Now Infosys is seeking the expertise of Indian Institute of Science (IISC), and IIT-Bombay, to understand the commercial viability of using bamboo for gasification, conversion into charcoal, power generation, and for producing ethanol.Gasification of bamboo will produce power as a main product and charcoal as a by-product. The charcoal can be used for water purification purposes as well as fuel in thermal plants.

The Bheema variety of bamboo can absorb nine times more carbon than a normal bamboo tree. Bheema is not a genetically modified variety. It was discovered in the Northeast region in 2002. Bheema variety grows well along the course of large-drains or rivers.