Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has advised sugar companies to convert sugar into ethanol to meet the reality of changing times and the requirements of the nation.
The minister cautioned leaders of the sugar and associated sectors that if sugar production continues as it is, it will be detrimental to the business in the future. Gadkari reminded them that the country is rice-surplus, corn-surplus, and sugar-surplus and that what is beneficial for our future is to limit sugar output and enhance ethanol production.
On Sunday, the minister spoke at the Sugar & Ethanol India Conference (SEIC) 2022 in Mumbai. ChiniMandi, a news and information portal for the sugar and allied industries, organized the conclave to help put together domestic and global industry leaders to discuss the top challenges and risk response strategies in the domestic and global sugar trade, as well as the path forward to building a more sustainable and innovative Sugar & Ethanol sector in India.
Ethanol: The superior Candidate For Automobile Fuels
According to Gadkari, the economics of ethanol outshine those of diesel or petroleum automobiles. "We issued an advice on flex engines; Toyota, Hyundai, and Suzuki have told me that flex engines would be available within six months."
We have built a green hydrogen-powered pilot car. Toyota's chairman informed me that their automobile is flex – it can run on either 100% petrol or 100% ethanol – and that Toyota cars in the future would operate on hybrid electricity, which will create 40% electricity and run 60% of the distance on 100% ethanol. In compared to petrol, these economics will be quite beneficial."
The minister stated that the government has decided to open biofuel outlets where individuals may fill up on ethanol.
The minister encouraged all sugar plants that produce ethanol to install ethanol pumps in their facilities and elsewhere. "This can bring in 100 percent ethanol-run scooters, auto-rickshaws, and vehicles, increasing ethanol use, reducing pollution, lowering imports, and providing jobs to people in villages" "There will undoubtedly be a large enough demand for ethanol." "He stated.
Future Need & Potential of Ethanol Industry
The minister informed everyone that there is no reason to be concerned about whether there would be a large enough market for ethanol. "Ethanol is a green and clean fuel; we now produce 465 crore liters of ethanol." However, after the E-20 programme is completed, our need would rise to roughly 1,500 crore liters.
Furthermore, when flex engines are available in the next five years, the need for ethanol would increase to 4,000 crore liters." As a result, if you do not switch to ethanol and continue to produce sugar, the firm will lose a lot of money, cautioned the minister.
