Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP) is an initiative by the Government of India (GoI) under the National Policy on Biofuels. It was launched in the year 2003. It aims to promote renewable energy, reduce the import of fuels from other countries, and promote the use of environment-friendly fuels.
The government aims to mix 5% ethanol in fuel by 2020, which will increase by 20% (E20) by 2030. Ethanol needed to be blended will be sourced from domestic sources and at prices fixed by the government. This initiative will impact various sectors, including agriculture, environment, energy, etc. It will also help the farmers to earn extra income as the ethanol will be produced as a side product from Sugarcane, Maize, Bajra, Fruit and Vegetable wastes, etc.
Ethanol Blending Production:
Ethanol blending refers to the blending of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) exclusively with petrol which is a minimum of 99% pure and derived from agricultural produce such as sugarcane, maize, etc.
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) is responsible for managing ethanol manufacturing in the country. The ethanol required may be produced using surplus wheat and rice from FCI, maize, fruit and vegetable wastes, etc. The ethanol supply has dramatically improved from 38 crore L to 173 crore L from 2013-2014 to 2019-2020.
Objectives of Ethanol Blending Petrol (EBP) Programme:
The objectives of ethanol blending are as follows:
- Reduce Pollution: Ethanol is more combustible than motor fuel, leading to lower emission of harmful gases from the exhaust of vehicles and thus reducing pollution.
- Conserve Foreign Exchange: Ethanol Blending will reduce the import of fuel in the country and, in turn, conserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves for other purposes.
- Boost to Sugar Industry: As sugarcane is a significant source of ethanol, it will help boost the production of sugarcane and give impetus to the sugar industry in the country.
Significance of Ethanol Blending with Petrol:
- It will promote using renewable fuels instead of the fossil fuels we use in our day-to-day lives. This will also help reduce fossil fuel stress, enabling a healthy environment.
- Carbon emissions will also be reduced as ethanol has high oxygen content, which helps it combust more than normal fossil fuels. Proper combustion will lead to reduced carbon emissions from vehicles.
- As ethanol will be procured from domestic sources, it will reduce the import of fuels from other countries, which will help to boost the local economy.
- This will also help farmers to earn extra income as the raw material required to produce ethanol will be procured from the farmers.
- According to research, the fuel efficiency of the vehicles will also increase by 6-7% for 4-wheelers and 3-4% for two-wheelers which will also help people to save money.
- It must also be noted that vehicle manufacturers need not make significant changes to their product assembly lines, which will also benefit them in terms of money and effort.
Impacts of E20 as a Fuel:
1. Impact on consumers:
- The fuel efficiency of the vehicles is estimated to reduce by:
- 6-7% for 4-wheelers designed for E0 and calibrated for E10
- 3-4% for 2-wheelers designed for E0 and calibrated for E10
- 1-2% for 4-wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20
2. Impact on Vehicle Manufacturers:
- No significant changes are needed in the assembly line of the vehicles
- To use E20, the vehicles’ engines need to be calibrated and tested.
3. Impact on the environment
- The CO emissions by the vehicles will be reduced by half and reduce pollution and greenhouse effect.
- It will also promote the use of environmentally friendly fuels.
Initiatives are Taken under Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme:
- Opening of an alternate route for ethanol production
- Amendment to Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951, enables smooth ethanol movement across the country.
- GST reduction on ethanol from 18% to 5%
- EBP was extended to the whole of India except Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep
- Interest Subvention Scheme by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD)
- MoP&NG has also issued a ‘Long Term Ethanol Procurement Policy’ under EBP Programme on 11.10.2019
Challenges in Ethanol Blended Petrol:
- We know that ethanol is produced from agricultural produce such as sugarcane, rice, maize, etc., but at a time when malnutrition and hunger are widespread in the country, it may not be a wise decision to use food grains to produce ethanol instead of using them for human consumption. Thus fighting hunger is a major challenge before ethanol production can be started on a large scale.
- The ethanol manufacturing units in the country cannot meet the country’s ethanol demand. So it will be more challenging to meet the ethanol demand for blending with fuel. Thus the ethanol manufacturing units need to upgrade and ramp up their production.
- The prices of sugarcane and other food grains fixed by the government are uncertain, so it may not be feasible for the farmers to plant these crops if they are not paid well. This may also increase fuel prices if the raw materials prices are set high.
- Transporting ethanol is a risky and costly task as ethanol is not produced all over the country. It needs to be transported safely as it is highly flammable, and there is a fear of robbery along the way. Thus transportation costs are a considerable overhead in the ethanol blending program.
- Currently, the ethanol manufacturing units are under the “Red Category” due to the pollution they cause, so they need clearance under the Air and Water Acts, which is time-consuming due to the paperwork involved.
Way Forward:
- If it is chosen to produce ethanol from food wastes such as paddy waste, it can help to control air and climate quality as it will prevent the burning of this waste which is a leading cause of smog.
- Such crops must be chosen to produce ethanol that is not water hungry, as rice and sugarcane use a lot of water.
- It is necessary that the country focuses on the food crisis more than the production of ethanol.
- Electric Vehicles are a great alternative to reduce costs, pollution, and fuel imports compared to Ethanol Blending.
The Recent Development of the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the expert committee on a roadmap for ethanol blending by 2025 on June 5, 2021.
The committee was headed by Dr. Rakesh Sarwal, the Additional Secretary of NITI Aayog. It also had representatives from the Ministries of Petroleum, Food and Public Distribution, Road Transport and Highways, Heavy Industry, and Indian Oil Corporation and Automotive Research Association of India.
The E-20 roadmap lists the following milestones to be achieved:
- Increase ethanol production capacity from 700 to 1500 crore liters
- Phased rollout of E10 fuel by April 2022
- A gradual introduction of E20 beginning in April 2023 and availability by April 2025.
- The rollout of E20 material-compliant and E10 engine-tuned vehicles from April 2023
- Vehicles with E20 engines are to be produced starting on April 20.
- Educational campaign across-the-country
- Encourage the use of water-sparing crops, such as maize, to produce ethanol
- Promote technology for the production of ethanol from the non-food feedstock.
Frequently Asked Questions on Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme:
Q1. What is EBP stands for, and when was it launched?
Ans: EBP stands for ethanol blending petrol program, which aims to blend ethanol (C2H5OH) with petrol to promote the use of renewable fuels. It was launched in 2003.
Q2. What are the environmental impacts of the Ethanol Blending Petrol (EBP) Programme?
Ans: Impacts of EBP on the environment:
- The CO (Carbon Monoxide) emissions by the vehicles will be reduced by half, reducing pollution and the greenhouse effect.
- It will also promote the use of environmentally friendly fuels.
Q3. List any three initiatives the Government of India took under the Ethanol Blending Petrol (EBP) Programme.
Ans: Initiatives taken by the Government of India under EBP are:
- Amendment to Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951, enables smooth ethanol movement across the country.
- GST reduction on ethanol from 18% to 5%
Q4. Write any two objectives of the Ethanol Blending Petrol (EBP) Programme.
Ans: The objectives of EBP are as follows:
- Reduce pollution: Ethanol is more combustible than motor fuel, leading to lower emission of harmful gases from the exhaust of vehicles and thus reducing pollution.
- Conserve Foreign exchange: Ethanol Blending will reduce the import of fuel in the country and, in turn, conserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves for other purposes.
Q5. Give any two challenges faced by Ethanol Blending Petrol (EBP) Programme.
Ans: Two challenges faced by EBP are:
- Transporting ethanol is a risky and costly task as ethanol is not produced all over the country.
- The ethanol manufacturing units in the country are not able to meet the ethanol demand of the country.