National Policy on Biofuels

 Recently Union Cabinet of India has approved the National Policy on Bio-fuels & its implementation. The Union Cabinet has also approved the setting up of a National Biofuel Coordination Committee and a Biofuel Steering Committee. Here is a concise report of this policy-

Objectives-

The Policy will bring about accelerated development and promotion of the cultivation, production and use of biofuels to increasingly substitute petrol and diesel for transport and be used in stationary and other applications, while contributing to energy security, climate change mitigation, apart from creating new employment opportunities and leading to environmentally sustainable development. The Policy endeavors to facilitate and bring about optimal development and utilization of indigenous biomass feedstocks for production of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels provide a strategic advantage to promote sustainable development and to supplement conventional energy sources in meeting the rapidly increasing requirements for transportation fuels associated with high economic growth, as well as in meeting the energy needs of India’s vast rural population. Bio-fuels can increasingly satisfy these energy needs in an environmentally benign and cost-effective manner while reducing dependence on import of fossil fuels and thereby providing a higher degree of National Energy Security. The Indian approach to bio-fuels is based solely on non-food feedstock’s to be raised on degraded or wastelands that are not suited to agriculture, thus avoiding a possible conflict of fuel v/s food security

Main Features of the Policy-

1. Bio-diesel production will be taken up from non-edible oil seeds in waste /degraded/ marginal lands

2. An indicative target of 20% blending of bio-fuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by 2017 has been proposed

3. Minimum Support Price (MSP) for non-edible oil seeds would be announced with periodic revision to provide fair price to the growers

4. Major thrust will be given to research, development and demonstration with focus on plantations, processing and production of bio-fuels, including Second Generation Bio-fuels

5. Financial incentives, including subsidies and grants, may be considered for second generation bio-fuels. If it becomes necessary, a National Bio-fuel Fund could be considered

6. A National Biofuel Coordination Committee, headed by the Prime Minister, will be set up to provide policy guidance and coordination

7. A Biofuel Steering Committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary, will be set up to oversee implementation of the Policy

8. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has been designated as the co-coordinating Ministry for Biofuel development and utilization while specific roles have been assigned to other concerned Ministries

9. MNRE has taken several initiatives on various aspects of Biofuel development. An exercise has been initiated with scientific agencies – ICAR, CSIR, DBT, DRDO, NOVOD Board on collection, screening and identification of elite germplasms of jatropha and on processing and end use technologies

10. A survey has been undertaken to assess the status of Jatropha plantations in nine States. Major thrust is being given to development of second generation biofuels

11. An Indo-US MoU has been signed on biofuels with focus on joint R&D, particularly on second generation biofuels such as, cellulosic ethanol and algal biodiesel