What are Biofuels?
QUESTION
What are Biofuels?
Discuss the government’s efforts for promoting its uses. (250 words, 15
marks) |
Introduction:
· Biomass can be
converted directly into liquid fuels, called “biofuels,” to help meet
transportation fuel needs. The two most common types of biofuels in use today
are ethanol and biodiesel, both of
which represent the first generation of biofuel technology. · Ethanol is an
alcohol used as a blending agent with gasoline to increase octane and cut
down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. · Biodiesel is a
liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable
oils and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based
diesel fuel.
Body:
· The National Biofuel Policy was
introduced in 2018 and is aimed at reducing dependence on imports by
encouraging fuel blending. With bioethanol, biodiesel, and bio-CNG in focus,
its key parts include the Ethanol
Blending Programme (EPB), production of second-generation ethanol (derived from forest and agricultural
residues), increasing capacity for the production of fuel additives,
R&D in feedstock, which is the starting material for ethanol production,
and financial incentives for achieving these goals.
· After
initially setting a 20 per cent
blending target for 2030, the government has advanced by five years its
target for achieving 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. The amended
National Biofuel Policy-2018 has now set the new target for 2025–26 instead of 2030.
· The National Biofuel Coordination Committee
(NBCC), with the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas as its
head, is the agency to coordinate this blending programme.
· The policy’s
goal is to enable biofuels’ availability in the market, thereby increasing
their blending percentage. A target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in
petrol is proposed by the Ethanol
Supply Year (ESY) 2025–26. An indicative target of 5 per cent blending of
biodiesel in diesel /direct sale of biodiesel is proposed by 2030.
·
This goal is
to be achieved by:
(a) reinforcing
ongoing ethanol/biodiesel supplies through increasing domestic production
(b) setting
up Second Generation (2G) biorefineries.
(c) development
of new feedstock for biofuels.
(d) development
of new technologies for conversion to biofuels.
(e) creating
a suitable environment for biofuels and their integration with the main
fuels.
Conclusion:
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