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above the existing 3-3.5 billion litres that are budgeted to be produced using molasses (B and C) and also some amount of sugarcane juice/syrup directly). This would bring a total of 1G (first generation) ethanol from sugarcane to 7 billion litres. Sugarcane is not the only source of 1G ethanol. The government has implemented policies to encourage the use of other feedstock to make 1G ethanol. CMD, GODAVARI Crops that can be used for this are maize, BIOREFINERIES LIMITED sweet sorghum, sugar beet amongst others. The government expects that 5 billion litres of ethanol can be produced using surplus grain. Ethanol distilleries often work alongside the sugarcane crushing cycle. As a result, their capacities are not fully utilized. The addition of these crops as feedstocks to add to existing distilleries will enable distilleries to produce more ethanol by only adding some process steps to make the different feedstock ready for India is capable of producing 21 bn litres of Ethanol by 2025 fermentation. In addition, India is blessed with having large quantities of cellulosic biomass that can be also converted to ethanol ndia is facing various challenges such as climate change (called 2G or second generation). Celand energy security which needs to be addressed and be- lulosic biomass is available in various ing an agrarian nation with millions of small farmers, forms such as sugarcane bagasse, rice India needs to provide meaningful livelihoods to its pop- straw, maize stalks and more. ulation. Renewable energy can help address these three Every sugar mill generates surplus challenges. bagasse. The typical bagasse saving is India has an abundance of sunlight. This sunlight can 6% on cane crushed. If India crushhelp us generate solar power, but also help the crops es 320 million tons of cane, we grow be a source of energy. Renewable energy, this is equivalent to 19.2 as opposed to energy derived from fossil fuels, million tons of wet bahelps combat and mitigate climate change. gasse. Conservatively, Sugarcane is one such crop. India makes this translates to 19.2 more sugarcane than it needs for sugar. The million tons of wet “The government has set an government has recognized this sugarcane bagasse will approxiaggressive target to produce surplus as a source of energy. Energy from mately generate 1.92 25 million tons of biogas by sugarcane comes to us in three forms - ethabillion litres ethanol 2025 meeting 40% of India’s nol as a biofuel, bio-CNG and bio-electricity. @10 % of wet bagasse. gas requirement” All three have tremendous potential to meet Today, India genour energy needs for mobility as well as home erates over 92 million needs. tons of crop residues. Some of these such as rice straw are The Ethanol Opportunity burned causing pollution in Northern India is expected to produce 31 million tons of sugar this year, parts of India. If this was also converted that is 6 million tons more sugar than it needs for domestic con- to ethanol, then by a similar analysis as sumption. If all this sugarcane were converted to ethanol, that described above, that would yield 9.2 bilwould yield an additional 3.6 billion litres of ethanol (over and lion litres of ethanol.
SAMIR SOMAIYA
BIOREFINERIES AND ALTERNATE FUEL
I
40%
