Topics Covered: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Ethanol as an alternate fuel:
Context:
Government has been promoting use of ethanol as a blend stock with main automotive fuel like petrol in line with the National Policy on Biofuels (NBP) -2018 under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.
- This policy envisages an indicative target of blending 20% ethanol in petrol by 2030.
Efforts by the Government in this regard:
- Government has allowed production of ethanol from sugarcane and food grain based raw-materials.
- The Government has fixed the ex-mill price of ethanol from sugarcane based raw-materials.
- Remunerative prices of ethanol produced from different feedstock has been fixed.
- The government has notified interest subvention schemes for setting up of molasses and grain based new distilleries or expansion of existing distilleries.
Ethanol:
- Ethanol can be produced from sugarcane, maize, wheat, etc which are having high starch content.
- In India, ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process.
- Ethanol can be mixed with gasoline to form different blends.
- As the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions and thereby reducing the occurrence of environmental pollution.
- Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered as renewable fuel.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- What is ethanol? How is it produced?
- Difference between ethanol and molasses?
- What is ethanol blending programme?
- Benefits of ethanol blending?
Mains Link:
Write a note on the 2013 EBP programme.
Sources: PIB.
