Need policy for affordable bioethanol

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 13)

Introduction to Bioethanol and Challenges

• • Bioethanol and renewable energy-based electrification can help India achieve carbon neutrality.
  • However, the high running costs of bioethanol fuel due to lower fuel efficiency remain a significant barrier.

• The government must create mechanisms to make bioethanol more affordable for consumers.

Making Bioethanol Pricing Affordable

• Although bioethanol reduces carbon emissions, its higher cost of operation compared to conventional fuels is an issue.
• A key strategy to make bioethanol viable is through policy changes that ensure affordable pricing for users.
• The government should focus on reducing fuel costs to make it economically competitive with gasoline.

Improving Fuel Efficiency

• Vehicle manufacturers must work on improving fuel efficiency to lower the cost per kilometer of ethanol-powered vehicles.
• Maintaining or reducing the fuel cost per kilometer is essential for ethanol to remain competitive with gasoline.

Proposed Price Reductions

• A potential solution is to reduce the price of ethanol (E100) from ₹95 per liter to ₹65 per liter to lower vehicle running costs.
• Improving vehicle mileage is another way to reduce the overall cost of ethanol-based transportation.

Economic Benefits for Farmers

• Promoting ethanol fuel will have positive socio-economic impacts, particularly in rural India, where agriculture is a major livelihood.

• The use of bioethanol can support farmers and contribute to rural development.

Availability of Bioethanol

• Ethanol can be distributed through existing gasoline stations, ensuring its widespread availability.
• In comparison, infrastructure for other alternative fuels like CNG is still developing, which makes ethanol more accessible in the short term.

Environmental Benefits of Ethanol

• Bioethanol has an environmental advantage over other fuels by significantly reducing carbon emissions.
• Both flex-fuel vehicles and electric vehicles are necessary for achieving long-term carbon neutrality goals.

Conclusion

• To make bioethanol a sustainable and viable fuel option, India needs support from the government, manufacturers, and farmers.
• Affordable pricing and infrastructure improvements are critical for the success of ethanol in the Indian market.