Biofuel push: Step in the right direction

The surge in fuel prices has become a headache for both governments and the common man. To find a way around it, the government is emphasising the use of biofuels to reduce dependency on petrol and diesel. Nitin Gadkari’s statement that government will make it mandatory for carmakers to offer vehicles running fully on biofuels in next six months shows that the intent is there to ensure its quick implementation.

The minister has said that consumers will have a choice between petrol and bioethanol and a switch to the alternative would not pose any problem since the country has surplus production of crops such as rice, maize, corn and sugar, from which bioethanol is made. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also earlier mentioned that the target of 20% ethanol blended petrol has been advanced to 2025.

Biofuels should not be seen as an alternative to vehicle fuels, but they can also be instrumental in building an entirely new economy. The transition to biofuels is expected to provide an impetus to not only vehicles, but also give a much-needed leg-up to rural economy. The government’s resolve to embrace this change quickly is commendable but there are also some lingering doubts about the impact of the move on the environment. Will over-dependence on biofuels not lead to food crisis in future?

Apart from being cost-effective it also needs to be proven whether it would result in better experience for vehicles owners. India could do well to take a look from the EU experience, which resulted in an adverse impact on flora and fauna. India can also take lessons from the experience of Brazil which has established mixing bioethanol as an automotive fuel for a long time and has not allowed it to impact its food security. The Latin American country has also turned to bioethanol to reduce dependence on imported petroleum. The country has even started cultivation of a particular variety of sugarcane that is more suitable for bioethanol production than sugar production for human consumption. Brazil follows a principle of blending 27% of ethanol with gasoline. If it can be applied successfully in India, the savings on account of crude import can easily be estimated. Consumers can also breathe a sigh of relief.