Question : Promotion of Bio-Fuel

(a) whether Ethanol and Bio-diesel have many utilities over traditional fuel and if so, the details thereof along with the percentage of production of biofuels in comparison to its consumption in the country;

(b) whether the Government proposes any steps to promote community partnership and entrepreneurship through increasing better partnership of local bodies for the development of Bio-diesel production process and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government proposes to constitute any Bio-diesel Development Board and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the details of various initiatives, research and development as well as other measures taken by the Government for the production and promotion of Bio-diesel recently?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR POWER, COAL & NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
(INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a): Bioethanol and biodiesel have potential to replace petrol and diesel respectively up to certain percentage in country through blending. The consumption of bioethanol in the country is about 1.4 percent against the consumption of petrol in the year 2014-15. Biodiesel has not been blended with diesel so far.

(b): Gram Panchayats / Gram Sabhas, are involved in plantations of tree bearing non-edible oilseeds on Government/community wasteland, degraded or fallow land in forest and non-forest areas for feedstock of biodiesel under the National Policy on Biofuels.

(c): There is no proposal of constitution of Biodiesel Development Board presently.
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(d): Some of the recent steps taken by Government for increase of production as well as usage of environment friendly biodiesel are (i) announcement of the National Policy on Biofuels for promotion and utilisation of biodiesel; (ii) half yearly revision of procurement price of biodiesel. (iii) direct sale of biodiesel by manufacturers/suppliers other than Oil Marketing Companies in the country (iv) continuous support for various Research and Development activities for production of biodiesel and bioethanol from various non-food feed stocks in the country; and (v) promotion of various tree borne oilseeds for oil extraction for edible and industrial uses.
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