The country’s first biorefinery unit for producing bioethanol from bamboo is expected to be ready in Assam by October, Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, said on Friday. Speaking at ‘Evolve-2023,’ an international e-mobility and alternative fuels conference organised by the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department here, Mr. Teli said work was progressing briskly at the public sector Numaligarh refinery in Assam.
From corn, rice
‘’It will be the country’s first unit for producing ethanol from bamboo,’‘ he said. Bioethanol is being produced from food grain such as corn and rice. ‘‘Right now, we have 12% ethanol blending. The target is to take it up to 20% by 2025,’‘ he said. Trials are also underway using methanol in this regard, Mr. Teli said.
Alternative fuels
Exploring options such as green hydrogen and alternative fuels are vital for reducing the country’s dependence on oil imports, the Minister said. The country is dependent on imports for about 83% of its crude oil requirement, which needs to be brought down, he said.
The four-day Evolve-2023, which began on January 19, brings together experts from around the globe to discuss the possibilities in e-mobility and alternative fuels, Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju said on the occasion. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had inaugurated the international conference and expo on Thursday.
