• UGI USER
  • Dec 17, 2023
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GOVERNMENT’S REVERSAL ON SUGARCANE JUICE FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION

Why in the News?

  • Government reverses the ban, allowing the use of sugarcane juice and B-heavy molasses for ethanol.
  • Government initially banned the use .
Source : PIB

Highlights:

  • Details of Flexibility: Caps the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes for the 2023-24 supply year (ends October 2024).
  • Target: Government aims for 15% ethanol blending with petrol in the 2023-24 supply year.
  • Current Scenario: Achieved 12% blending in the 2022-23 supply year.
  • Challenges: Challenges include low cane production, recent rains affecting recovery, and drought in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

About Ethanol:

  • Ethanol, recognized as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a transparent, colourless, and inflammable liquid.
  • This alcohol variant, denoted by the chemical formula C2H5OH, is widely prevalent and is generated by fermenting sugars from sugarcane juice or B-heavy molasses using yeast or other microorganisms.

Ethanol Blending:

  • What? : Ethanol blending is the practice of mixing ethanol, a biofuel produced through organic matter fermentation, with conventional petrol or gasoline.
  • Significance : This process enhances fuel efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and promotes the use of renewable energy sources in the automotive industry.

Ethanol Blending Programme:

  • The Ethanol Blending Programme, initiated by the Indian government in 2003, aims to promote ethanol-blended petrol (EBP) as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional petrol.
  • Initially set at 5% ethanol blending (E5), the program later increased the blending ratio to 10% (E10).
  • The National Biofuels Policy, introduced in 2018, targets 20% ethanol blending by 2025.
  • To encourage ethanol production and EBP use, the government offers incentives like subsidies, tax exemptions, and excise duty waivers.
  • Implemented in phases across states, the program achieved nationwide coverage by 2021.

EBP reduces fossil fuel consumption, enhances energy security, lowers carbon emissions, and supports the agricultural sector by creating a market for ethanol feedstocks.