Rahul Basu

A pioneer in bio-based ethanol process development, Rahul Basu has been a leader in developing and optimizing processes now used by companies to convert biomass into renewable energy. He holds 12 U.S. patents in the area of gasification-fermentation based processes. His hands-on leadership at the laboratory, pilot and demonstration stages of process development research included the startup and operation of one of the country's earliest pilot plants in fermentation-based biochemical and bioenergy research in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

He was also provided technical leadership in the design, commissioning, start up and operation of a demonstration plant for the production of ethanol from biomass in Madison, PA.  Basu was at the helm of the development of a patented technology that led to the development of the first biomass -to-ethanol commercial plant in Vero Beach, Florida. More recently he has overseen the successful completion of a pilot fed-batch fermentation unit for fungal fermentation to produce cellulase enzymes.

He is currently applications development manager in DSM’s Bio-based Products and Services division. He has previously held the positions of technical director at Coskata Inc. and was vice president of development at Bioengineering Resources Inc.

Basu earned a PhD in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. He was also awarded a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, and his bachelor’s degree was received from University of Calcutta.