Ethanol blending is India’s another step in the direction of fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals and being a Net Zero carbon producer till 2070.
What is Ethanol?
According to Science Direct, “Ethanol is a chemical compound that is produced through the fermentation of agricultural products like sugarcane and corn”. Ethanol or ethyl alcohol is useful due to its lower carbon footprint and higher calorific value.
Ethanol blending and targets
Ethanol blending refers to the process of mixing ethanol with gasoline to be used in vehicles as a non-polluting fuel. India has set an ambitious target of 20% ethanol blending. The country is set to achieve the same by 2025-26. Blending will reduce the financial load on the exchequer (around 4 billion dollars, according to Maruti Suzuki estimates), environment and automobile industry.
Food in picture
Ethanol is derived from food crops, algae, molasses, cellulosic biomass, row crop etc. Maize, corn, soy, corn, wheat, sugarcane, sorghum, any plant with starch and cellulose can be used to produce ethanol.
India is an agrarian country with food products being our major export. Diversion of crops to energy sector increases demand for certain crops, to be met by import. It also puts our own food security at risk, during the time of need.
According to National Family Healthy Survey (2019-21), 57% of women in the age group of 15-49 have anemia, with highest prevalence in West Bengal. Stunting, underweighting and obesity are equally staggering issues. Given such health statistics, the opportunity cost of grain based ethanol should be carefully examined.
Uneven approach
Uttar Pradesh is the single largest contributor to ethanol production while Tamil Nadu, where liquor is popular and food politics is rampant, ethanol has not caught much attention. The states producing more food crops will be benefitted unless other states gear up the use of maize, sugarcane for blending.
According to the data by Press Information Bureau, the country has ethanol production capacity of 1380 crore liters, most of which is molasses-based.
However, if the trend shifts and pressure is put on food crops, exports will be substituted by imports and put the country on risk. A thorough cost benefit analysis and a careful substitution will help India economically and environmentally.
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