Biomass derived chemicals and polymers is an area where several divisions across CSIR-NCL are deeply involved – Polymer Science and Engineering, Catalysis, Chemical Engineering and Process Development, and Biochemical Sciences Division. India produces about 625 million tons of agricultural residues biomass each year, of which about 150 million tons can be available for industrial use, and this constitutes a sustainable and “green” source of organic raw materials. A group of about sixteen senior scientists work in close tandem on a program known as “Biorefinery from Lignocellulose Biomass”, under the 12th.Five Year Plan. Few years back a technology was transferred to industry on fractionating sugarcane bagasse into pure cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. A laboratory scale development of bioethanol from sugarcane bagasse has also been developed, and is undergoing further fine-tuning. CSIR-NCL biodiesel technology called “ENSEL” was based on a hydrophobic acid catalyst for converting non-edible oils/fats into biodiesel, and the process was transferred to a USA based company. A program on bio-oils and bio-hydrogen is also being pursued. Several value-added chemicals from biomass, such as Furane dicarboxylic acid ( FDCA), lactic acid, levulinic acid, diacids and their esters, furfural, xylitol, biolubricants, biosurfactants, phytases, cellulases, etc. are being researched. Glycerol to propane diols and 2-amino-1-propanol and lignin depolymerization based chemistry are other active areas of research, along with development of biomass pretreatment technologies as well as novel catalyst systems for conversion of biomass