Moto Lines
Transportation Activity in India has expanded more than sevenfold over the last twenty years. Its Gasoline-fuelled pathway leads to a rapid rise in negative environmental externalities. To split up the sector’s development from high emissions, regulators are increasing efforts to deploy cleaner fuels, with a focus on liquid biofuels in India.
However, while biofuels assist in reducing emissions at the moment of consumption, their lifecycle implications are strongly reliant on biomass and are inextricably related to the complexities of the larger agricultural and economic systems.
The brief evaluates India’s biofuel roadmap from a lifecycle perspective, identifying gaps in current policy, and proposing a long-term sustainable strategy. The environmental and social benefits of biofuels are closely linked to the complexities of the larger agricultural and economic systems.
The Glocal Scenario
Biofuels convert Biomass into liquid fuels, with Ethanol and Biodiesel being the main transport Biofuels. Ethanol and Biodiesel Plants are produced from various Biomass sources, including edible feedstock, vegetable oils, and minimal, accounting for only 2.4% in 2018.
To improve this, countries have implemented Biofuel Policies with time-bound blending mandates, incentivizing distilleries and energy crop production. Ethanol production increased at a CAGR of 2.4%, accounting for 60% of total liquid Biofuel production in India. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an 11% decline in Ethanol Production.
Lifecycle Perspective
Biofuel Production based on 1G Feedstock does not guarantee lifecycle benefits due to land-use change during feedstock production. Clearing existing vegetation for new land leads to carbon release and a net carbon debt. Chemical fertilizers release nitrous oxide, which has a higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide.
Energy used in transporting Feedstock and Blending also contributes to overall Carbon emissions. Transporting Feedstock and Blending also contributes to overall Carbon Emissions. Emissions can vary based on land availability and agricultural system efficiency.
A 2021 study found that food-grain-based biofuels in Europe have an average lifecycle carbon intensity of 73g CO2 eq./MJ, only lower than fossil gasoline. Food-based Biodiesel has lifecycle emissions estimated to exceed gasoline diesel by up to three times.
Indian Approach to Biofuel Production
The Ethanol Blending Programme in India in 2003 was the first significant policy step toward liquid biofuels, mandating a 5% blending rate for Ethanol in Petrol for 9 states 20% blending remained low due to supply chain issues and difficulty in obtaining bids.
To address this, the measure included reintroducing minimum support prices and opening alternate routes for Ethanol Production. By 2018, blending rates reached around 4%, and by 2021, the Indian Government claims a blending rate of 8.1%.
The 2009 Biofuel Policy in India aimed to produce Biodiesel using Non-edible oils, specifically Jatropha Curcus, on Government/ Community wasteland and degraded land. However, the oil yield and required fertilizers and pesticides fell short of projections, leading to a significant portion of biodiesel production using multiple feedstocks.
The 2018 Biofuel Policy aims to achieve a 20% blending rate for ethanol and 5% for diesel by 2030, focusing on 2G technologies and sustainable solutions. In 2021-22, the government scaled up its Ethanol blending ambitions, setting a deadline of 2025 for a 20% blending rate. The Expert Committee on Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025 outlines a reconfigured approach, requiring 13.5 billion liters of Ethanol by 2025.
The Impact of India’s Pivot from the Biofuel Policy
Sugarcane
The 2009 Biofuel Policy in India aimed to produce Biodiesel using Non-edible oils, specifically Jatropha Curcus, on government/ Community wasteland and degraded land. However, the oil yield and required fertilizers and pesticides fell short of projections, leading to a significant portion of biodiesel production using multiple feedstocks.
The 2018 Biofuel Policy aims to achieve a 20% blending rate for Ethanol and 5% for Diesel by 2030, focusing on 2g technologies and sustainable solutions. In 2021-22, the government scaled up its Ethanol Blending ambitions, setting a deadline of 2025 for a 20% Blending rate. The Expert Committee on Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025 outlines a reconfigured approach, requiring 13.5 Billion liters of Ethanol by 2025.
Rice
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) needs 17 million tonnes of Food-Grans to meet the 2025 Ethanol Production target, up from 78,000 tonnes in 2020-21. The current stock of rice is at its highest with a surplus of around eight million tonnes proposed for Ethanol Production. However, the current surplus rice stocks are higher than the fluctuations. The process of using FCI-produced rice for Ethanol is uneconomical. FCI procurement is biased towards Haryana and Punjab, causing a higher environmental footprint.
Biodiesel
Jatropha, a plant used for Biodiesel production, has been largely unsuccessful due to low yields and land requirements. The unavailability of oilseeds and increased weeding have led to a loss of ecosystem services. The focus on Jatropha cultivation was partly to revive areas classified as “Wasteland”, but there is controversy over the classification of wastelands in India.
The “Wasteland Atlas of India-2019 classifies 5.5 lakh sq. km of land wasteland, but villagers often occupy these lands. Ecologists argue that certain productive habits, like grasslands, are sometimes classified as wastelands.
India’s current approach to biofuel production faces several lifecycle challenges.
- Low yield for sugarcane and maize necessitates land-use changes, impacting embodied emissions.
- Subsidies for inputs, power, and MSP lead to unsustainable use of water and fertilizers.
- Lack of robust wastelands classification lobbies due to competing feedstocks.
- Promotion of 1G Biofuels may delay the switch to 2G feedstocks.
- Incentives for sugarcane production are difficult to repeal due to strong agricultural lobbies.
Conclusion
India’s Biofuel Policy, focusing on 2G feedstocks and land regeneration, has been stifled by the current administration’s focus on food-grain-based feedstock, causing negative impacts on lifecycle emissions, water stress, ethanol pricing, and agricultural supply chain distortions.
The GoaI must return to its original vision and divert resources towards 2G production methods, backed by policy and financial support. This approach will ensure sustainable emissions reduction, provide economic and environmental benefits, and help India become a champion for sustainable transport biofuels.
At Advance Biofuel, we are the leading manufacturer in India. We are a prominent manufacturer of Biofuel Plants, Distillation Plants, and Biodiesel Plants.
