NEW DELHI: The government plans to come out with a new policy for use of biofuel in the aviation sector to promote the use of green and cost-effective fuel in the aircraft. The decision was announced at a function to mark India’s first test flight partially powered by biofuel that landed in the national capital from Dehradun. Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said the Petroleum Ministry would soon prepare a policy on biojet fuel and place it before the Cabinet.
“We import crude oil worth Rs 8 lakh crore comprising Rs 30,000 crore aviation fuel. Use of biofuel in aircraft will also help the farmers significantly,” said Gadkari adding that concerned department needs to work further to develop technology to manufacture the aviation biofuel for commercial purpose.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the ministry will make an environment-friendly aviation action plan keeping in mind the need and expansion of aviation sector till 2035.
“We want to increase the use of biofuel in the country so that there is a reduction in greenhouse gas emission and import of petroleum. We will make sure that more and more airlines start the use of biofuel,” Prabhu said. While 25 per cent of the right engine of the aircraft will have the biofuel mix, the left engine
will run on aviation turbine fuel. The efficiency of the engine running on biofuel is expected to be slightly higher than that of the other engine.
Made from Jatropha crop, the fuel has been developed by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun. As many as 500 farmer families in Chhattisgarh are involved in the production of the partially-refined biofuel used in the SpiceJet flight.