NEW DELHI: India’s national standards body, The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), released standards on Biofuels. Biofuels which are produced from biomass used to blend with fossil fuels to reduce emissions. India has a target to blend 20 per cent ethanol biofuels into its fossil fuels used in transportation and save the state's exchequer from importing crude oils.
These new standards for Biofuel are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the multilateral forum Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) for global efforts towards achieving clean energy goals in the recently concluded G20 meeting in Delhi. The new standard is in line with the GBA.
The BIS released nine standards on biofuels to aid stakeholders including manufacturers, traders, and other entities dealing with biofuel or related matters.
These standards related to use as blending components in motor gasoline, automotive fuels, aviation turbine fuel and Positive Ignition Engine Powered Vehicles – Specification.
BIS has also said it has been working on a green diesel standard. The green diesel is derived from 2G feedstock including agro-residues like rice & wheat straw, cane trash, corn cobs & stover, cotton stalk, bagasse, Empty Fruit bunches, etc.
It was estimated that currently, about 98 per cent of the fuel requirement in India for the transportation sector is met by fossil fuels and the remaining 2 per cent by biofuels.
“With the help of these set of standards will help in meeting the target of net zero by 2070 and 50% energy through renewable sources, but will also contribute to achieving several other objectives such as Make in India, Waste to Wealth, and increasing farmers’ income and others,” says Pramod Kumar Tiwary, Director General, BIS.
Reportedly, the USA, Brazil, and India are the major producers and consumers of biofuels. These three countries collectively contribute to 85 per cent production and 81 per cent consumption of ethanol globally.
The global ethanol market was valued at USD 99 billion USD in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 5 per cent by 2032.
India's import of petroleum in 2020-2021 cost about USD 55 billion to the exchequer. The Russia-Ukraine war has spiked global oil prices and burdened the Indian economy. Blending ethanol up to 20 per cent with gasoline will lead to savings of around 4 billion dollars.