The government is counting on ethanol to help them reach its 2030 goal of mixing 5% biodiesel into diesel sales. Biodiesel, which is frequently used in Europe, is a biodegradable fuel that is typically produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or leftover restaurant grease. But because there aren’t many biodiesel feedstock options available, its widespread adoption in the country has run across a number of
obstacles.
As a result, research on how to commercially blend ethanol with diesel was requested of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). E20 petrol, or petrol blended with 20 percent ethanol, is now available at more than 1,900 pumps nationwide thanks to the Center’s ethanol blending initiative.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), India is the third-largest producer of ethanol in the world, behind the US and Brazil. The
National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, stated the current 5% biodiesel blending objective. BY 2030, THE GOVERNMENT HOPES TO COMBINE 5% BIODIESEL WITH ETHANOL WHAT’S BIG TODAY ?
Additionally, it gave lucrative prices for procurement and lowered the GST rate for biodiesel delivered. In August 2021, the ministry informed the Lok Sabha that less than 0.1% of diesel was being blended with biodiesel.
The non-edible tree-borne oils like Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata (the Indian beech tree known in Hindi as Karanj) were favoured as feedstock in the biodiesel purchase policy, which defined the
specifications. However, the majority of these initiatives have stalled because of low seed supply and expensive plantation and maintenance expenditures.
The OMCs just started purchasing biodiesel in August 2015 due to difficulties in utilising these oils, such as lengthy gestation periods and low yields. The majority of the biodiesel that OMCs have purchased
thus far has been made from Palm Stearin Oil, UCO, and very small amounts of tree-borne oils.