Page 175 - CW E-Magazine (19-8-2025)

Special Report Special Report

India’s ethanol blending programme: Time for a process in which membrane separation heard about their progress. It is appa- lopment Goals (SDGs) established by
is incorporated.
rent that Government is not serious the United Nations in 2015 is SDG 2,
re-evaluation of costs and benefi ts Carbon dioxide production and about producing 2G ethanol from agri- which aims to “End hunger, achieve
cultural residues, which is abundant in food security and improved nutrition
ndia’s Ethanol Blending Program Rice cultivation utilisation the country. The use of agricultural resi- and promote sustainable agriculture.”
(EBP) in gasoline is a success and The most cultivated species of rice A.K. DAS The steam requirement at distil- dues can supplement farmer incomes In India, NITI Aayog is the primary
Ithe achievement made in this fi eld are (paddy) in India are Oryza sativa and Retd. Industrial Adviser leries is met by burning carbonaceous signifi cantly. Moreover, it could easily institution responsible for coordinat-
nothing short of a revolution. It started Oryza glaberrium. The outer layer of Dept. of Chemicals & Petrochemicals fuels and the evolved carbon dioxide churn out enough ethanol (about 44.4- ing and monitoring SDGs. They must
with 1.53% blending level in 2014, the rice shell is called husk. The next Govt. of India (CO ) is simply allowed to escape into billion litres per year), enough to reach consider whether making ethanol from
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which reached 15% in 2024. By June layer is called rice bran, and the inner Email: amiyakantidas2010@gmail.com the atmosphere. In the fermentation 20% ethanol blending target – with no food grains (that too in millions of
2025 the fi gure had already reached part is called rice kernel. Paddy culti- industry. Maize is a major component process also each litre of alcohol pro- need to divert foodgrains for ethanol tonnes) contradicts the spirit of SDG 2
19.9%, with the average blending rate vation is a crucial agricultural practice of animal feed for cattle, pigs and poul- duces 0.76 kg of CO . This CO can be production. or not.
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from November 2024 to June 2025 at involving growing rice plants in fl ooded try. The rising cost of feed, driven by collected from the fermenters, purifi ed,
18.9%. The latest report declares fulfi l- fi elds. It is necessary to maintain a maize diversion for ethanol, has pushed and stored in cylinders or converted Ethanol, energy and food security Where do we go from here?
ment of the 20% target much ahead of consistent water level (5-10 cm deep) up poultry product prices. to dry ice (solid CO which sublimes At this stage of the EBP it is perti- Ethanol has 30% less energy den-
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the original schedule of 2030. in paddy fi elds throughout the grow- without any residue left) for further nent to make an estimation of the costs sity than petrol (328-kcal/mole), and
ing season. It is also necessary to apply Maize is also a raw material for utilisation. of labour, fertilisers, pesticides, energy far more energy is spent to produce an
When the EBP was adopted about fertilisers for nutrition and pesticides manufacturing corn starch, corn syrup (manual, mechanical, and electrical equivalent quantity of ethanol.
a decade back a decision was made to to control diseases like rice stem borer, and corn oil. The largest use of this CO is in while processing to get rice) utilised
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permit use of sugarcane juice as raw grasshopper and leaf folders. the carbonated beverage industry and for the production of 5.2-mt of rice and The target of 20% ethanol blending
material over and above molasses. Of Nearly 77% of India’s maize is as preservative in fruit, meat and sea- 12.8-mt of maize. Many other social has been achieved fi ve years ahead of
late, sizeable quantities of foodgrains Paddy grains are separated from grown in rain-fed conditions during food industry. Dry ice is widely used in and cultural factors are also involved time. Suddenly, the Union Transport
like rice and corn are also being uti- stalks (straw) by manual or mechani- kharif season, making it vulnerable ice cream preservation. But except for in grain production that are often over- Minister announced at a recent event
lised for ethanol production to reach cal thrashing. The harvested paddy to erratic rainfall. It has been reported some of the higher capacity distilleries, looked when sacrifi cing food security that it will be fi nalizing the norm of
the target. There are also various in- grains are processed to produce rice, that expansion of maize area has been few others have any facility for CO at the cost of promoting a particular 27% of ethanol blending (E27) by
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centives off ered by the government for a staple food for many cultures across observed in major states like Madhya collection and utilisation. kind of industry. end of August this year!. The Minister
ethanol production. These include a the globe. Processing involves clean- Pradesh and Maharashtra where kharif for Food and Public Distribution, in
subsidy of Rs. 9.72 per litre of alcohol ing, dehusking, milling, and polishing. maize acreage rose by 50% and 94% After distilling off the alcohol pro- It is very unfair to forget that these a recent GEMA conference, advised
derived from maize; Rs. 8.46 per litre For parboiled variety additional steps respectively in 2024-25. The shift has duced, the water left is termed as ‘spent grains are primarily meant to satiate the members to explore entering export
for ethanol from rice; and Rs. 6.87 per of soaking, steaming and drying are come at the expense of other vital crops wash’. For every litre of ethanol pro- hunger of millions. The global charity, markets and has assured suffi cient raw
litre for ethanol from molasses. There involved before milling. such as pulses, soybean and oilseeds. duced, about 12-15 litres of effl uent Oxfam, has, for example, called for an material for this. This means that more
are also grants available for setting up India imported 6.87-mt of pulses last is produced, which is not chemically end to European Union (EU) incentives foodgrains may be sacrifi ced for this
of distilleries. As result, the number Maize cultivation year, the second-highest volume ever toxic, but has high BOD (Biological for crop-based biofuels, as it is exacer- endeavour.
of grain-based distilleries (GBD) has Cultivation of maize (corn) and recorded. Edible oil imports continue to Oxygen Demand) – in the range of bating global food insecurity and price
increased in recent times. It has been getting corns form corn cobs, is labour cover about 66% of domestic demand. 35,000-45,000 mg/litre. As per Central volatility. In light of the discussions in previous
recently reported that there are 126 GBDs intensive. Pollution Control Board norms these paragraphs, with all humility, the follow-
in the country, which collectively pro- Ethanol production voluminous effl uents need primary and The energy transition has been a ing are suggested:
duce 337-crore liters of ethanol annu- Maize is increasingly being utilised Ethanol is manufactured from fer- secondary treatment to bring down the strategic focus globally for some time,
ally. These distilleries have even set up as a feedstock for ethanol production. mentable sugars by fermentation pro- BOD to 100 for land disposal and 30 but recent indicate many are putting  Before pushing the target further up,

a separate association, ‘Grain Ethanol Estimates show that demand for maize cess with the help of yeast which con- ppm for disposal in natural streams. brakes on projects. The new US there should be a critical examination
Manufacturers Association (GEMA)’. for ethanol has risen from 0.8-mt in tains zymase, an enzyme. When ethanol Installation of such primary and secondary administration, for one, is putting of the benefi ts of EBP on a wide can-
2022-2023 to an estimated 12.8-mt in concentration reaches 6-8% in the fer- treatment facilities need investment and emphasis again on fossil fuel production vas beyond only combating vehicular
During 2024-25 ethanol supply year 2024-25. This accounts for over 34% menter, the mixture is fed to distillation energy to run. and use. In Europe, initiatives such as emissions. Figures of savings in crude
(ESY), the Indian government has ap- of the country’s total maize production columns and concentrated to 95% with Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism oil imports are often quoted. But this
proved the allocation of 5.2-mt of rice of 39.0-mt in 2024-25. the help of live steam. This is further Biomass utilisation (CBAM), which aimed to tax the carbon- fi gure should be compared to the
for ethanol production from storage concentrated to anhydrous ethanol An ethanol plant based on biomass intensity of products made outside losses (fi nancial or otherwise) in other
facilities of the Food Corporation of India was a maize exporting country. (100%) by azeotropic distillation (by has been in operation in Panipat (Haryana). the EU, are postponed or diluted to a places as a result of EBP.
India (FCI). The supply is to be at a But ethanol-linked maize demand adding a third component). Excessive Another 12 such plants were to be narrower range of product. (Point of
subsidised rate of Rs. 2,250 per quintal has already forced India to import steam is required in this unit operation. installed in diff erent parts of the coun- View, Chemical Weekly, July 1, 2025).  The 2G ethanol plants on anvil (re-
(100-kg). This quantity of 5.2-mt of about 0.8-mt of maize in 2024-25 to Alternatively, about 50% lesser amount try, alongside one based on bamboo in ported number 12), based on agri-
rice requires about 8.0-mt of paddy. meet the demand from the poultry feed of steam is required in pervaporation Numaligarh (Assam). Nothing has been One of the 17 Sustainable Deve- cultural waste, should be completed

174 Chemical Weekly August 19, 2025 Chemical Weekly August 19, 2025 175

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