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U.S. – India Biofuels Summit 2024 Explored Use of Ethanol Beyond the Pump in Aviation and Clean Cooking Fuel

U.S. – India Biofuels Summit 2024 Explored Use of Ethanol Beyond the Pump in Aviation and Clean Cooking Fuel

by | May 17, 2024 | In the news

Insights from the U.S.-India Biofuels Summit 2024

On 23 April 2024, the U.S. Grains Council and the U.S. India Strategic Partnership Forum organized the U.S. – India Biofuels Summit 2024 in New Delhi. The Summit brought together key stakeholders to explore the production of ethanol, which has the potential to shape the future energy landscape. Attended by global and Indian industry leaders, policymakers, and experts, the summit facilitated discussions on crucial topics such as market trends, emerging ethanol use cases, and the potential for enhanced US-India collaboration on biofuels.

Giving the opening remarks, U.S. Ambassador to India Mr. Eric Garcetti emphasized that the partnership between the U.S. and India on biofuels had the potential to be historic and help achieve sustainable development goals to protect populations vulnerable to climate risks.

India’s Ethanol Blending Program (EBP) has witnessed substantial growth, with the blending rate rising from a mere 1.53 percent in 2013-14 to an impressive 10.17 percent by 2022. Having achieved its 10 percent ethanol blending target (E10) five months ahead of schedule in June 2022, India now aims to achieve a 20 percent blend (E20) by the end of 2025. To achieve E20, India will need substantial quantities of ethanol. According to a report by Arcus Policy Research, by 2026, India will need an estimated 13.5 billion liters of ethanol, with 10.16 billion liters for fuel blending alone.

Diversifying feedstocks for ethanol production emerged as an important discussion item, which is essential if India were to achieve the required ethanol demand. While the country’s ethanol production has heavily relied on sugarcane, crops such as maize emerged as an alternative feedstock due to advantages like requiring less water, making it a more resource-efficient option. Utilizing agricultural, forestry, and industrial waste for ethanol production was also discussed, given the urgent need for waste management in India. Maximizing ethanol production while minimizing the environmental footprint is crucial, and byproducts from bioprocessing can help support a circular economy model for increased sustainability.

As the world looks to new solutions for decarbonization, Sustainable Aviation Fuel or SAF has achieved global support as a non-fossil derived fuel. The alcohol-to-jet or ATJ technology relies on abundantly available and low-carbon ethanol as a raw material to generate SAF. To successfully meet local and global SAF blending targets, India needs to develop a robust supply chain and ensure consistent, year-round availability of ethanol.

The summit also focused discussions around the immense potential for a U.S.-India partnership in enhancing climate change resilience and sustainability. The United States, with its extensive experience in improving the efficiency and sustainability of its biofuel industry, can share its experience and insights with India to support the transition to cleaner fuels.

Participants at the summit applauded India’s role in the establishment of the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and added that for India, the GBA marks a significant step towards a more sustainable energy future. However, speakers highlighted that challenges such as technology transfer and geopolitical complexities continue to pose constraints for the GBA. Addressing these concerns will be crucial to ensuring the alliance’s long-term sustainability.

The U.S. – India Biofuels Summit 2024 highlighted the immense potential for a U.S.-India partnership in promoting sustainable development goals and mitigating climate risks. By leveraging their respective strengths and collaborating on innovative solutions, the two countries can lead the way in transitioning to a more sustainable energy future, benefiting both their populations and the global community.

Consumer body seeks curbs as India’s per capital alcohol intake doubles

Consumer body seeks curbs as India’s per capital alcohol intake doubles

by | Apr 24, 2023 | In the news

As India’s per capita consumption of doubles, a consumers’ outfit on Thursday urged the state governments to correct their taxation policies to discourage the intake of “hard liquor” like whiskey, rum, vodka and gin while waving red flags on the growing tendency of binge drinking among youngsters and adverse social and health consequences of such a habit.

Between 2005 and 2016, India’s per capita consumption of pure alcohol shot up from 2.4 litres to 5.7 litres with a sharp rise in demand for whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, India-made foreign liquor and country liquor, as against soft liquor like beer and wine.

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Call for excise duty tweak to curb drinking of hard liquor

Call for excise duty tweak to curb drinking of hard liquor

by | Apr 24, 2023 | In the news

An outfit called Consumer Voice, citing concerns about India’s high per-capita alcohol consumption, also urged a ban on ultra-small liquor bottles and a minimum unit price for alcohol to raise the cost of the least expensive alcoholic beverages
A consumer outfit on Thursday urged the Centre and states to revise excise policies to help curb alcohol consumption, saying current policies encourage intoxication through hard liquor such as rum, whiskey or vodka.

The outfit called Consumer Voice, citing concerns about India’s high per-capita alcohol consumption, also urged a ban on ultra-small liquor bottles and a minimum unit price for alcohol to raise the cost of the least expensive alcoholic beverages. It has asked governments to consult health departments to formulate alcohol control policies that would seek to moderate and reduce per capita consumption “instead of extreme steps like prohibition”.

High alcohol beverages such as whiskey currently attract the lowest duties which makes hard liquor, especially Indian-made foreign liquor, more affordable than low alcohol beverages such as beer or wine, Consumer Voice said. This duty structure, it said, encourages consumption of high alcohol beverages.

“India does not have a central-level policy to reduce alcohol consumption,” said Ashim Sanyal, the chief executive officer at Consumer Voice, a group of academics and volunteers campaigning for consumer rights through improvements in policies and rules.

The consumer group, citing a 2018 World Health Organisation report, said the per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages in India had more than doubled from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 litres in 2016.

After China, India is the second largest consumer of hard liquor like rum, whiskey, or vodka. India’s per capita consumption of hard liquor was 13.5 litres, the highest in the world, compared to 6.6 litres in Brazil, 4.8 litres in the US, or 3.2 litres in Germany. However, India’s per capita alcohol from beer was 1.1 litres, compared with 6.4 litres in the US or 5.3 litres in Australia.

Consumer Voice has used pricing data from 2021 and 2022 to cite examples of how liquor prices in several states increase the affordability of hard liquor and encourage its consumption by making possible higher intoxication levels at the same or lower price.

In Karnataka, the lowest priced Indian whiskey was available for Rs 56 for 180ml, while the lowest priced beer cost Rs 50 for a 330ml pint.

The consumer group has credited four states — Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — for reducing taxes on beer to reduce prices and moderate the intake of high alcohol beverages.