INDIA should start working on the roadmap of 10% blending followed by 20%

India should start working on the roadmap of 10% blending followed by 20%. The recent tenders (2010-11) of ethanol blending by oil corporations is in full swing. India has already blended (oil corporations have purchased) ethanol to the tune of 30 Crore liters till date (April 2011) out of the 71 crore liters required till 31st October 2011.

All the sugar companies having ethanol facility are on the verge of expansions. Since the blending has taken off smoothly. Now is the time for the government and Decision Makers to work a roadmap for blending 10%. We understand the conflict created by the chemical and fertilizer industries which resulted the government to create a panel of experts under the leadership of Saumitra Chaudhuri, Member of India’s Planning commission, to look into the aspect in detail and the panel came out with a true visionary picture which would set a roadmap to the future ethanol blending for India.

Apart from some solid recommendations the panel also suggested a price of Rs. 26.76 per liter for the year 2010-11 which is sensible. But the question still remains as the raw material of ethanol is molasses and how many of us know we are exporting molasses till date. The quantum is around 3 lacs tons which can produce 8 crore liters of ethanol. Indirectly we are not distilling it and I worry how much more molasses we would export. Here there should be a serious micro-level working and the oil corporations should be a party to it.

The price of crude has made the oil companies to think positive on ethanol. if they would have done it earlier we would have build a solid platform till now. The Ethanol blending program needs more collective working by all the sugar associations, ethanol manufacturing associations, and the oil corporations along with the government. We should be answerable to young India tomorrow. Yes!

We have set the platform to be a “crude free India” (my dream). Now they need to work on it and build. We took 28 years to win the Cricket Would Cup but if I say after 28 years we would be out of oil. Imagine how much efforts we would have to put in. Hence we all should stand behind the roadmap to blend as much as alternative fuel we can. Your comments & suggestions are welcome.

You can interact with Mr. Deepak Desai on email - deepakdesai@ethanolindia.net and Cell No. +91 (0) 9823139883. *

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