Ethanol

Why in news?

• India is on course to outshine China as the world’s third largest ethanol consumer by 2026 as it accelerates the transformation towards a clean energy ecosystem with the objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2070.
• Ethanol demand in India tripled between 2017 and 2021 with consumption expected at 3 crore litres in the last calendar year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.

About Ethanol:

• Ethanol is an organic chemical compound. It is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with a characteristic wine-like odor and pungent taste.
• Ethanol is naturally produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration.
• It has medical applications as an antiseptic and disinfectant. It is used as a chemical solvent and in the synthesis of organic compounds. Ethanol is also a fuel source.

Ethanol as fuel:

• Ethanol is a renewable biofuel because it is made from biomass.
• It is a clear, colorless alcohol made from a variety of biomass materials called feedstocks. Mostly food grains and crops with high starch and sugar content are used as feedstocks for making ethanol - corn, sorghum, barley, sugar cane, sugar beets etc.
• Ethanol can also be made from grasses, trees, and agricultural and forestry residues such as corn cobs and stocks, rice straw, sawdust, and wood chips
• In India, ethanol is primarily produced using sugarcane molasses. This is an example of first generation biofuels that uses biomass containing large amounts of sugar or materials that can be converted to sugar such as starch, for the generation of ethanol.
• The largest single use of ethanol is as an engine fuel and fuel additive.
• Ethanol can be combined with petrol in any concentration up to pure ethanol (E100).
• Brazil in particular relies heavily upon the use of ethanol as an engine fuel, due in part to its role as one of the globe's leading producers of ethanol.
• Gasoline sold in Brazil contains at least 25% anhydrous ethanol (i.e. ethanol without water).

Benefits of ethanol as engine fuel:

• With a 113 octane rating, ethanol is the highest performance fuel on the market and keeps today's high-compression engines running smoothly.
• Because the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions.
• Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered a renewable fuel.
• Ethanol-blended fuel keeps the fuel system clean for optimal performance because it does not leave gummy deposits.
• Ethanol helps prevent wintertime problems by acting as a gas-line antifreeze.

Ethanol blending targets in India:

• In January 2021, India brought forward its 20 per cent ethanol blending target with gasoline from 2030 to 2025, and is aiming to start selling 20 per cent blends in 2023.
• In 2017, blending stood at 2 per cent, but by the summer of 2021 it touched 8 per cent, putting the country on track to achieve 10 per cent blending this calendar year.
• India has also increased its policy commitment. In pursuit of its 20 per cent target, the country has set guaranteed prices per litre of ethanol according to feedstock; established financial support for new ethanol capacity; released an ethanol roadmap; and is planning to mandate flex-fuel vehicles that can operate on higher ethanol blends.

Significance of promoting ethanol:

• Helps reduce oil imports:
  • Increased use of ethanol can help reduce the oil import bill. India’s net import cost stands at USD 551 billion in 2020-21.
  • The E20 program can save the country USD 4 billion (Rs 30,000 crore) per annum.
• Offers economic and employment opportunities for farmers
  • The oil companies procure ethanol from farmers that benefits the sugarcane farmers.
  • Further, the government plans to encourage use of water-saving crops, such as maize, to produce ethanol, and production of ethanol from non-food feedstock.
• Reduce emission:
  • Use of ethanol-blended petrol decreases emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
  • The unregulated carbonyl emissions, such as acetaldehyde emission were, however, higher with E10 and E20 compared to normal petrol. However, these emissions were relatively lower.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. China is the world’s largest ethanol consumer

2. Ethanol can be combined with petrol in any concentration up to pure ethanol

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer