Biotech Updates

India to Increase its Ethanol Blending Limit

July 13, 2016
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53012327.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

The Indian government will soon come up with a new biofuel policy on non-conventional resources as it plans to take up ethanol blending to 22.5% for petrol and 15% in diesel.

The government is planning to increase the blending limit of ethanol in petrol as they also look into ethanol production from bamboo, rice straw, wheat straw and cotton straw. They plan to imitate the successful ethanol industries in Italy and estimate that the country can easily produce 40,000 liters of ethanol due to the availability of feedstock.

This move aims to cut India's huge crude oil import expenses while also reducing the country's pollution. If successful, India also plans to further develop their biofuel industry and promote vehicles that minimize pollution, such as the flex-fuel cars in Brazil.