National Biofuel Policy 2018

 As per Paris agreement, India has declared use of 40% non fossil fuel by 2030 as INDC. To attain this biofuel policy is key. National bio fuel policy 2018 is a way to achieve it.

Provisions :-

• proposes 20% ethanol blending and 5% bio diesel blending.
• Viability gap funding - for infrastructure development
• Separation of different generation biodfuel such as 1G, 2G.3G
• Farmers can divert their produce for ethanol generation such as rotten potato, food grains if they don't get remunerative prices for poducts.
•  Inclusion of more material for bio fuel generation such as sugar cane juice, damaged rice wheat etc.

Challenges :-

• Currently we have only been abel to achieve 2.5% bleending so far. 20% is too ambitious.
• Currently, India suffers from malnutrition, hunger, poverty etc in this case diversion of food crop is questionable.
• Policy is silent about octane number which measures cancerous particle content
• It does not say anything about import of ethanol in crisis situation

Way forward:

• Demand side of the policy needs due focus. We need to generate adequate demand from industry, household for bio ethanol and bio diesel.
• Guidelines regarding octane number should be clarly spelt which should be non hazardous and safe for human use.
• Leverage private sector to fast track generation and use economies of scale in production efficiency.

By: SONAM SHEORAN