Andhra Pradesh, Telangana have miles to go for biofuels

Hyderabad: The government’s national policy on biofuels which aims to blend 20 per cent biofuels by 2017 seems a farfetched dream, at least in the case of biodiesel in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana even though both states combined have about five biodiesel manufacturers, the highest number as compared to other states in the country.

Last month both states consumed 5,14,000 kilolitres of diesel. Presently not even 5 per cent blended biodiesel is available across all fuel outlets in the two states.

On Monday just seven outlets across Hyderabad, Vizag and Vijayawada were opened to provide 5 per cent blended biodiesel.

For achieving the target of 20 per cent blending nearly one lakh kilolitres of biodiesel is required whereas the production in two states is presently around 30,000- to 40,000 kilolitres.

Central government’s much touted plan to use jatropha or pongamia seeds for producing biodiesel, has fallen flat on its face.

The government had made plans long back to grow jatropha and pongamia trees on wastelands and use its seeds for producing biodiesel.

Some states like Chattisgarh and Maharashtra planted millions of jatropha saplings and in the then united Andhra Pradesh 11,000 hectares was brought under pongamia plantations.

However, most of the jatropha and pongamia trees did not mature properly and failed to provide enough seeds for production of biodiesel.

Production of biodiesel using jatropha and pongamia seeds is almost nil. Blending of 20 per cent ethanol with petrol was also envisioned for 2017.

However, till now just 5 per cent ethanol blended petrol is available in the two states which also depends on availability of ethanol which is obtained from sugar manufacturers as ethanol is obtained as a result sometimes petrol is sold without blending.

The producers of biodiesel in AP and Telangana are utilizing a variety of biological products as raw material for production of biodiesel.

“Biodiesel is produced from used edible oil from snack industries and hotels, animal fat, fish oil, fatty acids and palm oil by products. An important aspect of this is that the used edible oil which is usually disposed and causes pollution can be used for producing biodiesel. However, more than all these products palm oil by products form an important raw material source but it is not locally available in enough quantities because of which it is imported mainly from Malaysia and Indonesia,” said a senior official of Southern Online Bio Technologies, which has contract for supplying biodiesel to TSRTC buses at its 35 depots in and around the city.

However, even with all these sources for biodiesel industry officials say achieving 20 per cent blending is not possible with present availability of raw materials.