The National Policy on Biofuels-2018, as amended in 2022, has identified various feedstocks for biofuels production. These inter-alia include C & B – Heavy Molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar, sugar syrup, biomass in form of grasses, agriculture residues (rice straw, cotton stalk, corn cobs, saw dust, bagasse etc.). It also includes sugar containing materials like sugar beet, sweet sorghum, etc. Additionally, it includes starch containing materials. These are corn cassava, rotten potatoes, agro food / pulp industry waste, etc.. It also includes damaged food grains like broken rice, and food grains unfit for human consumption. Also, food grains during surplus phase as declared by National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC), industrial waste, industrial waste off-gases, algae and sea weeds, non-edible oilseeds, used cooking oil, animal tallow, acid oil, short gestation non-edible oil rich crops, municipal solid waste, plastic waste, etc. are identified.
Measures taken by Government
The Government has taken several measures to encourage investment in biodiesel production. These inter-alia include prescribing indicative target of blending of biodiesel in diesel / direct sale of biodiesel under the National Policy on Biofuels. Furthermore, it includes the notifying of “Guidelines for sale of biodiesel for blending with high speed diesel for transportation purposes-2019”. It also includes the reduction of GST rate for procurement of biodiesel for blending programme from 12% to 5%, etc. Further, “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan – VatavaranAnukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana” 2019 has been amended in August 2024. This is for granting financial assistance for setting up Advanced Biofuel Projects.
Reference: Government Initiatives for Biofuels
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