Cassava As Raw Material For Bioethanol Production
Source : Business Line
GS III : Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Approach “Cassava As Raw Material For Bioethanol Production” : Mains and Prelims

1. About Cassava as raw material
2. What is the need for an alternative against sugarcane ?
3. National Policy on Biofuels 2018

Why in News ?

Based on a recent research by ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) finds cassava (tapioca) as an alternative for material for bioethanol production.

Key Facts

• Cassava with its high starch content and ability to grow under low management conditions has been globally recognised as a potential candidate for bioethanol production.

  

• Economic viability for the scale-up production from cassava varieties has to be ascertained taking into account the reported failure of an alcohol plant set up in Palakkad in the late 1990s.
• What are the Advantage of Cassava over Sugarcane ?
  • Starch with its unique physico-chemical and functional properties finds extensive applications in the food and industrial sectors. 
  • Residues of cassava such as peels, stems and leaves are potential feedstock for 2G bioethanol production.
  • Available in large quantity than Sugarcane from Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala.

What is the need for an alternative against sugarcane ?

• National Policy on Biofuels 2018 ensures the availability of biofuels to meet the demand of 20 per cent ethanol produced from molasses, sugarcane juices, biomass in form of grasses and agricultural residues, sugar-containing materials such as sugar beet, sweet sorghum, etc, or starch-containing materials such as corn, rotten potatoes, cassava, and damaged food grains.
• India has to produce 1,016 crore litres of ethanol for blending programmes apart from 334 crore litres for other uses as part of the EBP target by 2025.
• Current ethanol production capacity is 426 crore litres from sugarcane-based distilleries and 258 crore litres from grain-based distilleries.
• To meet the target of 1,350 crore litres, production has to be increased to 760 crore litres from molasses and 740 crore litres from grain-based distilleries.

National Policy on Biofuels 2018

• The Policy categorises biofuels as “Basic Biofuels” viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and “Advanced Biofuels” – Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.
• The Policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten Potatoes, unfit for human consumption for ethanol production.
• Farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate price for their produce during the surplus production phase. Taking this into account, the Policy allows use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee.
• With a thrust on Advanced Biofuels, the Policy indicates a viability gap funding scheme for 2G ethanol Bio refineries of Rs.5000 crore in 6 years in addition to additional tax incentives, higher purchase price as compared to 1G biofuels.
• The Policy encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds, Used Cooking Oil, short gestation crops.
• Roles and responsibilities of all the concerned Ministries/Departments with respect to biofuels has been captured in the Policy document to synergise efforts.

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