INDIA’S BIOFUEL STRATEGY
Editorial . . . . . .
An expanding economy, a growing population, more urbanization, changing lifestyles, and rising purchasing power all contribute to our nation’s rising energy need. The present fuel requirement for the road transportation industry is currently covered by fossil fuels to the tune of 98%, and biofuels to the tune of 2%. By 2025, the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program has an objective of blending 20% ethanol, according to the National Policy on Biofuels 2018. For a developing country like India, achieving energy security and making the transition to a thriving low-carbon economy is essential. India will be able to increase its energy security, encourage local businesses and farmers to engage in the energy economy, and lower vehicle emissions by blending locally generated ethanol with gasoline. While ethanol blending can cut CO2 emissions, issues with food security and inefficient water and land use for ethanol extraction still exist. India ranks third in the world for energy consumption, with oil providing the majority of its needs. Due to limited domestic output, the country must rely on significant imports, which are primarily from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. This trend is continuing to worsen at a startling rate, which causes a significant loss of foreign currency. India ignored American sanctions against Russia in February 2022 by purchasing crude oil from Russia. However, there was significant skepticism about Prime Minister’s diplomatic relations with the West and his reasoning. Furthermore, the population faces higher health risks due to the excessive use of fossil fuels, which pollute the environment by emitting large amounts of carbon. Because ethanol is a by-product of the process of making sugar from sugarcane, which involves combining molasses and petroleum oil, India began blending it with gasoline as a trial project in 2001 in an effort to cut oil imports while also preventing increasing carbon emissions. Results are expected to boost the economy as well as farmers’ incomes and the rural economy. Despite the earlier period’s potential, little progress could be accomplished because of the central government’s then-easy compliance, and as a result, production remained static. In order to conserve foreign currency and simultaneously stop climate change brought on by carbon emissions, scientists and researchers are working to improve the process of producing ethanol while also looking for various ways and means to locate other sources of energy. Household and restaurant kitchen trash can be used as a far more affordable feedstock for the production of biodiesel. Scientists, including research scholars, have discovered that agricultural wastes are also possible sources for creating renewable and sustainable clean energies. It’s interesting to note that other student scholars are working on similar projects and are equally concerned about how fossil fuel use is causing catastrophic climate change. Progress was hindered and slowed down in 2020 and 2021, meanwhile, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, despite the difficulties, scientists and researchers continued to work hard in order to accomplish their dreams, which they cherished and were willing to commit endless amounts of time and energy to. According to India’s biofuel strategy, only surplus food crops should be used for fuel generation and fuel needs cannot conflict with food needs. Then, making ethanol from crop waste will be a good substitute.
