Scientists working on indigenous technology for biofuels: Pradhan

Indian scientists are working to develop a new model of biofuels' use through application of indigenous technology and the government hopes to unveil some results of this research in the coming days, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told te Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour on Wednesday.

Under the government's ethanol blended petrol (EBP) programme, state-run oil marketers sell ethanol blended petrol with percentage of ethanol up to 10 per cent.

Ethanol production through molasses in the country in 2016-17 is estimated to be 220 crore litres, Pradhan said.

"This ethanol alcohol is used in the potable liquor sector, chemical sector and EBP programme. In the current ethanol supply year, oil PSUs have executed agreements for the supply of 78.7 crore litres of ethanol," he said.

The government has fixed the administered price for ethanol supply for the period from December 1, 2016, to November 30, 2017, for the EBP programme at Rs 39 per litre.

The government has also allowed procurement of ethanol produced from other non-food feedstocks, like cellulosic and ligno cellulosic materials, including petrochemical route.

In 2015, the government asked oil companies to target 10 per cent blending of ethanol in as many states as possible.

Meanwhile at an event here on Wednesday, Pradhan, along with Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, distributed allotment letters of temporary company-owned-company-operated (COCO) petrol pumps to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women beneficiaries.

--IANS

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