India Develops a National Biofuels Policy Aimed at Strengthening their Energy Security
The Policy aims at mainstreaming of biofuels and, therefore, envisions a central role for it in the energy and transportation sectors of the country in coming decades. The Policy will bring about accelerated development and promotion of the cultivation, production and use of biofuels to increasingly substitute petrol and diesel for transport and be used in stationary and other applications, while contributing to energy security, climate change mitigation, apart from creating new employment opportunities and leading to environmentally sustainable development.
The Goal of the Policy is to ensure that a minimum level of biofuels become readily available in the market to meet the demand at any given time. An indicative target of 20% blending of biofuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by 2017 is proposed. Blending levels prescribed in regard to bio-diesel are intended to be recommendatory in the near term. The blending level of bioethanol has already been made mandatory, effective from October, 2008, and will continue to be mandatory leading upto the indicative target.
STRATEGY AND APPROACH
The focus for development of biofuels in India will be to utilize waste and degraded forest and non-forest lands only for cultivation of shrubs and trees bearing non-edible oil seeds for production of bio-diesel. In India, bio-ethanol is produced mainly from molasses, a by-product of the sugar industry. In future too, it would be ensured that the next generation of technologies is based on nonfood feedstocks. Therefore, the issue of fuel vs. food security is not relevant in the Indian context.
Cultivators, farmers, landless labourers etc. will be encouraged to undertake plantations that provide the feedstock for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol. Corporates will also be enabled to undertake plantations through contract farming by involving farmers, cooperatives and Self Help Groups etc. in consultation with Panchayats, where necessary. Such cultivation / plantation will be supported through a Minimum Support Price for the non-edible oil seeds used to produce bio-diesel.
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Intensive R&D work would be undertaken in the following areas:
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Ethanol is mainly being produced in the country at present from molasses, which is a by-product of the sugar industry. 5% blending of ethanol with gasoline has already been taken up by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in 20 States and 4 Union Territories. 10% mandatory blending of ethanol with gasoline is to become effective from October, 2008 in these States. In order to augment availability of ethanol and reduce over supply of sugar, the sugar industry has been permitted to produce ethanol directly from sugarcane juice. The sugar and distillery industry will be further encouraged to augment production of ethanol to meet the blending requirements prescribed from time to time, while ensuring that this does not in any way create supply constraints in production of sugar or availability of ethanol for industrial use. |
Source: http://mnes.nic.in/policy/biofuel-policy.pdf
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