Last year, researchers from the ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR) in Hyderabad and the National Sugar Institute (NSI) in Kanpur came together to publish a study exploring the biofuel production capabilities of a certain variety of grass in sub-tropical India.
This research reportpublished in the Journal of Scientific Research and Reports (JSRR) in 2024 took less than a year to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy if we factor in the recent industry developments.
One of India’s major oil refiners, Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) announced it inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the NSI to “collaboratively develop sweet sorghum as an eco-friendly feedstock for bioethanol production.”
BPCL cited the country’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme in a regulatory announcement for the move.
What is sweet sorghum, the wonder crop used to make ethanol?
Sweet sorghum, or Sorghum bicoloris a set of grass variants that contains abundant sugar content in their stalks. Certain varieties of sweet sorghum can contain 78 per cent of total plant biomass, of which 15 to 23 per cent are soluble fermentable sugars.
These soluble fermentable sugars are composed mostly—70 to 80 per cent—of sucrose, along with fructose and glucose. Sweet sorghum boasts a short growing period, spanning just three to four months, and could be crushed in the same sugar mill that processes sugarcane, therefore not needing any extra capital expenditure.
The research postulated that sugarcane farmers could earn additional income by using the mill facilities for processing sweet sorghum during the sugarcane off-season.
The impact of the Ethanol Blended Petrol programme so far
By 2025—this year—India aims at 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol. What began as a pilot programme in 2001 took proper flight in 2024. It received a significant bump in 2024 when the country achieved 15 per cent blending.
According to the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme helped India substitute 181 lakh metric tons of crude oil, saving ₹1,06,072 crore in foreign exchange and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 544 lakh metric tons from 2014 to 2024.
The programme also led to oil marketing companies (OMCs) providing ₹1,45,930 crore to distillers and ₹87,558 crore to farmers, significantly impacting the economics of the sector.
However, to achieve the ambitious 20 per cent aim in 2025, 1,016 crore litres of ethanol will be required. To service the programme, and provide for other uses, the ethanol production capacity needed is 1,700 crore, assuming plants operate at 80 per cent efficiency.
Here is where sweet sorghum can make a significant impact. With BPCL, a Fortune Global 500 company and the country’s second-largest oil refiner, pushing for biofuel, the initiative is expected to get the lift it deserves.
NSI Director Seema Paroha stated that the BPCL partnership would bring real-world application to the bioethanol research at the Kanpur institute, aiding renewable energy adoption in the country.
Highlighting the crop’s rapid growth cycle and efficiency in water use, BPCL Chairman G. Krishnakumar said, “Developing sweet sorghum as a biofuel feedstock marks a significant stride towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.” The NSI collaboration could help the refiner establish a scalable ethanol production framework to benefit not only the energy sector in the county but also the farmers, added Krishnakumar.
Active government support for biofuel alternatives
The central government has already moved aggressively towards bumping up the EBP programme. Last year, in August, the union cabinet approved the modified Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana that focuses on biofuels, and expands its scope to include “advanced biofuels produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks, such as agricultural and forestry residues, industrial waste, synthesis (syn) gas, and algae.”
Apart from developing a detailed roadmap for effectively implementing ethanol blending, the government established a favourable procurement price for ethanol under the EBP programme. GST on ethanol for the programme was also slashed to 5 per cent. The Industries (Development and Regulation) Act was amended to facilitate the free movement of ethanol across states for ramping up blending operations.
Blending ethanol with petrol is not something new. Brazil uses high ethanol blends—up to 60-70 per cent in vehicles—not only proving its viability but also providing a ray of hope for shifting to more sustainable models of fuel consumption. As we look forward to the fruits of the EBP programme, the common man hopes for a marked dip in petrol prices despite the soaring crude oil.
