{"id":154370,"date":"2025-02-06T19:35:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=154370"},"modified":"2025-02-13T11:29:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T05:59:58","slug":"ethanol-fuel","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/ethanol-fuel","title":{"rendered":"Ethanol Fuel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Recently, the <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Union road and highway Minister announced that India will achieve <\/span><b>20% ethanol blending with petrol <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">within<\/span><b> the next two months (<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">early 20<\/span><b>25).<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The achievement requires the production of nearly 1,100 crore litres of fuel ethanol an<\/span><b>nually.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is Ethanol?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-154372 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/51-67a38a5551b84-1.webp\" alt=\"Ethanol\" width=\"401\" height=\"304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/51-67a38a5551b84-1.webp 792w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/51-67a38a5551b84-1-300x228.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/51-67a38a5551b84-1-768x583.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethanol is a <\/span><b>renewable fuel<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> derived from <\/span><b>plant-based materials<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, collectively known as <\/span><b>biomass<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is primarily produced through:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Fermentation of sugars by yeast<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Petrochemical processes like ethylene hydration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethanol is widely used, with over <\/span><b>98% of U.S. gasoline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> containing some amount of ethanol.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Common Ethanol Blends<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>E10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Consists of <\/span><b>10% ethanol<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>90% gasoline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>E85<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A higher ethanol blend, used in flex-fuel vehicles.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Uses of Ethanol<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Medical Applications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Used as an <\/span><b>antiseptic and disinfectant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Industrial Uses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serves as a <\/span><b>chemical solvent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plays a role in the <\/span><b>synthesis of organic compounds<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fuel Alternative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Used as a <\/span><b>biofuel<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Sources of Ethanol Production<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Primary Feedstocks<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethanol production will come from:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sugar &#038; high-grade molasses<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FCI rice<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broken rice<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maize<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s<\/span><b> ethanol distillery capacity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has increased to<\/span><b> 1,600 crore litres,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> supported by government incentives and market stability.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Sugar-Based Ethanol Contribution<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">400 crore litres of ethanol is expected from sugar in 2024-25.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non-fuel ethanol will be derived from<\/span><b> C Heavy molasses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a low-grade byproduct of sugar processing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Rice-Based Ethanol Contribution<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government reduced FCI rice prices for distilleries from \u20b928\/kg to \u20b922.5\/kg.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">110 crore litres of ethanol will be produced fro<\/span><b>m FCI rice in 2024-25.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Maize-Based Ethanol Contribution<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">400 crore litres of fuel ethanol is expected from maize.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dual-feed<\/span><b> distilleries have been set up to use both sugar and maize for ethanol production.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Government Initiatives to Promote Ethanol Production<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>National Policy on Biofuels (2018)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims to <\/span><b>increase the availability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of biofuels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focuses on <\/span><b>enhancing blending percentages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with conventional fuels.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Ethanol Blending Program (EBP)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Targets achieving <\/span><b>20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>PM JI-VAN YOJANA<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides <\/span><b>financial support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for developing <\/span><b>second-generation ethanol projects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourages the use of <\/span><b>non-food biomass<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for ethanol production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><i>Ready to boost your UPSC 2025 preparation?<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Join PW&#8217;s UPSC online courses<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> today!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; 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