India, which imports up to 80 percent of its oil needs, will spend $1.5 billion on setting up biofuel refineries that are expected to employ around 15,000 people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on August 10 that ethanol blending could help the country save $1.7 billion a year on import bills.
New Delhi (Sputnik)┬атАФ The┬аIndian Air Force (IAF) will soon start using ethanol blended air turbine fuel (ATF) to┬аfly its transport aircraft like┬аthe Antonov-32; joining the call by┬аthe Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to┬аincrease the use of┬аbiofuels and ethanol-blended fuel to┬аlower import costs.
“We have discussed the plan to┬аuse ethanol blended air turbine fuel on┬аthe Indian Air Force jet at┬аlength in┬аthe past. We hope by┬аend of┬аthis year transport aircraft will fly using this fuel,” a government official told Sputnik.
Earlier on┬аAugust 27, India’s first 72-seater biofuel-powered civilian aircraft successfully completed its hour-long journey from┬аNew Delhi to┬аDehradun raising the prospects for┬аearly adoption of┬аthe sustainable alternative fuel by┬аthe country’s aviation sector. The flight flew on┬а25% biofuel and 75% ATF.India’s oil minister announced on┬аSeptember 8 that 12 bio-refineries were being set up┬аand steps were being taken to┬аachieve 10% ethanol blending. “Soon, Bio-ATF and Bio-CNG policies will be formulated,” Minister Pradhan said.
Furthermore, the Indian government, in┬аMay of┬аthis year, approved a new policy expanding the scope of┬аraw material for┬аethanol production by┬аallowing the use of┬аsugarcane juice, sugar-containing materials like┬аsugar beets, sweet sorghum, starch-containing materials like┬аcorn, cassava, damaged foodgrains like┬аwheat, broken rice, and rotten potatoes that are unfit for┬аhuman consumption for┬аethanol production.
