National policy on biofuels-2018 amendment, 2022
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) on June 15, 2022 has issued National Policy on Biofuels-2018 Amendment, 2022. This has come into force on June 15, 2022. The following has been amended namely: Clause 2.2 which states “Vision and goals” has been amended namely: “The Goal of the Policy is to enable availability of biofuels in the market thereby increasing its blending percentage. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) has notified that Oil Companies shall sell Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) with percentage of ethanol up to twenty per cent throughout the country from 01st April 2023. Blending of ethanol in Petrol will gradually be increased in the coming years. A target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol is proposed by Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26. An indicative target of 5% blending of biodiesel in diesel /direct sale of biodiesel is proposed by 2030. This goal is to be achieved by reinforcing ongoing ethanol/biodiesel supplies through increasing domestic production”. Clause 3.2 which states “The scope of the Policy encompasses following categories of fuels as “Biofuels”” has been amended namely: “’bioethanol‘: ethanol produced from biomass such as sugar containing materials, like sugar cane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum etc.; starch containing materials such as corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, agrofood / pulp industry waste, algae etc.; and, cellulosic materials such as bagasse, wood waste, agricultural and forestry residues or other renewable resources like industrial waste, vegetable wastes, industrial waste off-gases or any mix combination of above feedstock.” Clause 5.9.1 which states “Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme” has been amended namely: “The total alcohol/ethanol production capacity in the country is estimated to be around 700 crore litres per annum.”
