Lok Sabha Question No. 1307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-11
Subject: Ethanol Production
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY, POONAM  MAHAJAN

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1307 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th FEBRUARY, 2019

## Ethanol Production

## 1307. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY: SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

## isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

(a) Whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  study  to  ascertain  that ethanol  production  in  the  country  is  viable  vis-a-vis  the  country's  water footprint and the stress of ethanol on country's water resources and if so, details thereof, if not, reasons therefor;

(b) Whether the Government has undertaken any study to calculate required increase of net sown area for ethanol-producing crops, to meet the production target and if so, details thereof;

(c) Whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  study  to  understand  the effect  required  for  increase  of  net  sown  area  of  ethanol-producing  crops  on other crops and on food prices due to reduction of net sown area for food crops given Government's bio-fuels policy that stipulates fuel requirements must not compete with food requirements and if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) Whether the targets of ethanol blending petrol has been fixed for the next four years and if so, the details thereof along with the annual capacity of  biorefineries in the country since 2014; and

(e) Whether  the  Centre  for  High  Technology  initiated  a  project  to  create renewable crude and liquid hydrocarbon fuels from algae and if so, the details thereof along with the executing agencies involved therein and the current status of the said project including the total cost of the project?

## ANSWER isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h ¼Jh /kesZUnz iz/kku½

## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

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(a) to (c) The  Government  has  notified  the  National  Policy  on  Biofuels2018.  Para  5.3  of  the  Policy  states  that  during  an  agriculture  crop  year  when there is projected over supply of food grains as anticipated by the Ministry of Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare,  the  Policy  will  allow  conversion  of  these surplus quantities of food grains to ethanol based on the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) proposed under this Policy. Accordingly, NBCC allowed procurement of ethanol from surplus food-grains such as Jowar, Bajra and Maize based on the projections provided by Ministry of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  for  2018-19  after  accounting  for  domestic use of human, poultry and animal feed. Further, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited,  Industry  Coordinator  for  Ethanol  Blended  Petrol  (EBP)  Programme, has engaged a third party consultant to undertake study on ethanol production in the Country.

(d) Ethanol  blending  in  petrol  is  being  undertaken  by  the  Oil  Marketing Companies (OMCs) in 21 States and 4 Union Territories wherein, OMCs blend up to 10 % ethanol in petrol under the EBP Programme.The National Policy on Biofuels-2018 indicates a target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol by 2030. In December, 2014 the Government has allowed Second Generation (2G) route for  procurement  of  ethanol.  Oil  PSUs  have  entered  into  Memorandums  of Understanding (MoUs) with State Governments and Technology Providers for setting up 2G ethanol bio-refineries.  Foundation stone of the first 2G ethanol bio-refinery  to  be  set  up  by  Hindustan  Petroleum  Corporation  Limited  in Bathinda, Punjab, has been laid on 25.12.2016. Groundbreaking ceremony for 2G Ethanol bio-refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in Bargarh, Odisha, has been held on 10.10.2018.

(e) As  per  the  information  provided  by  Center  for  High  Technology,  the project  on  renewable  crude  and  liquid  hydrocarbon  fuels  from  algae  was undertaken  in  March,  2017  based  on  recommendation  of  Scientific  Advisory Committee  on  Hydrocarbons.  Chennai  Petroleum  Corporation  Limited  is  the executing agency along with International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and M/s ABAN Infrastructure Limited, Chennai. The estimated project cost is Rs.434.52 lakh.