Ethanol Blending

Table of contents

Context (TH | IE | BS): GoI allowed sugarcane juice to make ethanol a week after the ban.
It permitted sugarcane juice and B-heavy molasses (by-product of sugar) for green fuel production but limited sugar diversion to 17 lakh tonnes.
For now, the capping will be in place for the 2023-24 supply year that ends in October next year.

Ethanol

Ethanol (ethyl or grain alcohol) is a biofuel produced by yeast fermentation of sugars or starches.
The hydration of ethylene can also produce it.
It is a volatile, flammable, colourless liquid with a pungent taste and odour.
It is commonly used as a recreational beverage, a fuel source, a solvent, and an industrial feedstock.
Ethanol is 99.9% pure alcohol that can be blended with petrol.

Earlier, the demand for ethanol was from potable liquor and chemicals companies.
But now ethanol blending is on the top priority list of the government. The reasons for this are:
1. Environment friendliness of ethanol
2. Reduce reliance on oil imports
3. Cheaper than petrol
Consequently, sugar/sugarcane started getting diverted for ethanol production in the past few years.
In addition to sugarcane, India is establishing modern technology-based ethanol plants to convert agricultural waste/surplus into ethanol.

The EBP programme was launched in 2003 with multiple objectives, including:
- Reducing import dependence
- Savings in foreign exchange
- Providing a boost to the domestic agriculture sector
- Associated environmental benefits.
Under EBP, India aims to blend 20% ethanol in petrol (E20) by 2025.

All-India average blending of ethanol in petrol has risen from 1.6% in 2013-14 to 11.8% in 2022-23.
Ethanol blending in petrol has risen due to feedstock diversification.

Under the National Policy on Biofuels 2018, the GoI allowed the conversion of B-Heavy molasses (a by-product of sugar), sugarcane juice and damaged food grains (DFG) to produce ethanol.
This began differentiated ethanol pricing based on raw material/feedstock.
The move enabled:
1. A reliable supply of feedstocks
2. Price stability for farmers
Moreover, in 2020, maize was introduced for ethanol production.

Technically, any starch-rich crop, including potato, corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, rye, cassava, and triticale, can be used for fuel ethanol production.

High dependence on sugarcane, which is water-intensive. Thus, a weak monsoon or erratic rainfall poses a great threat to the industry.
Shortage of sugar for consumption
Lower calorific value: Pure ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol, leading to an inverse correlation between vehicle mileage and the ethanol blend percentage.
Vehicle health: Using ethanol-mixed petrol can lead to corrosion and rust in the fuel tank as it has high polarity and moisture affinity.

Increase grains as feedstock: The successful implementation of the EBP programme needs 50% ethanol to be produced through grain-based distilleries.
Increase maize as feedstock: Maize-based ethanol is more economical and water-efficient than sugarcane.
Dual feedstock capability plants: Setting up dual feed (molasses or grain) ethanol plants.
Policy support: Agriculture policies supporting ethanol-producing crops.

Biofuels are fuels (solid, liquid, and gaseous) that are derived from biomass/organic matter.
As biofuels emit less CO₂ than conventional fuels, they can be blended with existing fuels to effectively reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
Biogas is a type of biofuel that is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter.

Biogas

Biofuels Generation
Generation	Feedstock	Carbon Content	Example
First	Food crops	High carbon content	Bioethanol, biodiesel
Second	Non-food biomass	Carbon content less than 1^st generation biofuels	Cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel from waste vegetable oil
Third	Microorganisms	Carbon neutral (CO₂ Emitted = CO₂ Sequestrated)	Biodiesel from algae
Fourth	Genetically engineered crops	Carbon negative (CO₂ Emitted < CO₂ Sequestrated)	Biofuels from algae, bacteria, & yeast