India’s ethanol vision needs a feedstock reality check
India is striving to reduce its crude oil imports through increased ethanol production, but the plan faces challenges from the fluctuating sugar price and water usage concerns. Sugarcane, maize, and rice can all be used to create ethanol, with maize yielding the most ethanol per tonne. However, maize is also the most affordable at around Rs 20,000-21,000 per tonne.
Rice and sugarcane-based ethanol require significantly more water, with rice using 2,000-3,500 litres per kg of ethanol produced. The mandatory use of E20 fuel could further increase demand for ethanol, potentially raising prices for dairy and meat products. Although allowing the use of genetically modified (GM) maize could boost ethanol production, domestic seeds are currently the only option.
The high water consumption of rice and sugarcane may make maize a better choice, but this could strain India's water resources. The demand for water is also on the rise due to the construction of data centers, which require substantial amounts of power and water. Balancing ethanol production, water scarcity, and rising feedstock costs presents a complex challenge for India's ethanol vision.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
