India to push for ethanol made from farm waste

India is aiming to promote the production of ethanol made from biomass like wheat, cotton and rice straw, according to media reports.

The Times of India reported that India’s union minister for surface transport Nitin Gadkari will be making the move to promote ethanol production in the next couple of weeks.

The development comes in the wake of the government announcing a 10% ethanol blending requirement to be mixed with petrol. Yet, the announcement made by Gadkari can take blending of this biofuel into petroleum to 22.5% as against 10% at present.

“The move will also create tremendous demand for the farm waste. Perhaps all the rice straw generated from paddy growing district of Bhandara can be used in making ethanol. At present the entire waste is being burned away,” said the minister.

Gadkari was speaking at a seminar on small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) participation in capital markets organised by BSE and Panthomath, a private advisory firm.