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July 20, 2008
Biofuel - A Smart
Beginning in Gujarat
By V.N. Balakrishna
Surat
At a time when there is growing global concern over greenhouse gas
emissions and climate change, Gujarat's tryst with biofuel as an
alternative to petrol and diesel has proved a promising starter.
It was the first state that started growing ratanjyot (jatropha
curcus), from which biofuel could be produced. States like
Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh followed suit.
The state's tryst with biofuel began in 2005, when Dharmendra
Parekh, owner of Aaditya Aromedic & Bio-energies Pvt Ltd, signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government in a
small village of Tarsad in Navsari district.
His biofuel unit, which was set up at a cost of Rs.45 million (a
little over a million dollars), today produces 1,000 litres of oil
per day and sells it at Rs.39 per litre.
Parekh says he started his research back in 1992. It took nearly 12
years of research for Parekh to send his first biofuel oil tanker to
the market.
"Currently, 85 BPL (below poverty line) families are cultivating
ratanjyot vanaspati in 2,000 hectares in south Gujarat alone,"
Parekh told IANS.
He has been using biofuel for his own vehicle that has given him
"excellent results". Diesel gives 18 km per litre while biofuel
gives 21 km per litre with least maintenance of the engine, he said.
Use of biofuel saves foreign exchange needed for oil purchase.
Regular diesel comes from a non-renewable source, while biofuel is a
renewable energy and the Planning Commission has approved projects
to boost biofuel production.
The first ever research in this area was undertaken by the National
Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Top
agricultural scientists in the world, including those from the
Science and Technology Department of China, have conducted research
on this plant.
Biofuel production can also help India increase its leverage in the
international alternative fuel market.
Besides ratanjyot, there are other plants in India like pongamia,
sal, mahua, kokum, pilu, phulwara, dhupa, neem, mango, kusum,
karanja, jatropha, tumba, jojoba, simarouba, from which alternative
fuel could be produced. All this has a potential of generating 20
million tonnes of biofuel annually.
Wild crops cultivated in wastelands could also form a source of
biofuel. According to the last economic survey of the central
government, there are about 175 million hectares of wasteland in the
country.
It is expected that plantation in four million hectares in phases
would employ 127.6 million people. Seed collection itself will
provide sustainable employment to eight million people.
The central government is also now pushing biofuel production as
part of its strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel. Planning
Commission member Kirit S. Parikh has recently recommended the use
of ethanol-blended petrol and bio-diesel. However, it is still
unclear whether the government would come up with a biofuel policy
at the national level.
IANS
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July 20, 2008
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