To ensure that the country does not miss any opportunity to generate its own fuel and bring down import dependence, the government proposes to use surplus foodgrains for ethanol production. Public sector oil refining-cum-marketing companies are awaiting formal guidelines, which are expected any time soon.
The decision to use damaged foodgrains for making ethanol shows the government’s commitment to promoting the ethanol blended petrol (EBP) programme even when crude oil prices are down, and sends a message that the programme does not depend solely on sugarcane supply, said an industry source.
The indicative target laid down in the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 is to achieve 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol in the country by 2030. The policy also envisages use of damaged foodgrains, rotten potato, corn and sugar beet.
