World Bio-Fuel day 2018 observed globally

Why is the World Bio-Fuel Day observed on August 10?

• On 10 August 1893, Sir Rudalph Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine, for the first time successfully ran mechanical engine with Peanut Oil.
• His research experiment had predicted that vegetable oil is going to replace the fossil fuels in the next century to fuel different mechanical engines.
• Thus, to mark this extraordinary achievement, World Bio-fuel Day is observed every year on 10 August.

Initiatives undertaken by India to increase blending of bio-fuels

Since 2014, the Indian Government has been undertaking a number of initiatives to increase blending of bio-fuels. Some of the major interventions include administrative price mechanism for ethanol, simplifying the procurement procedures of OMCs, and amending the provisions of Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951.

Moreover, the Government approved the National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in June 2018.  The policy has the objective of reaching 20 percent ethanol-blending and 5 percent biodiesel-blending by the year 2030. 

Outcome of these initiatives

• Ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 38 crore litres in the ethanol supply year 2013-14 to an estimated 141 crore litres in the ethanol supply year 2017-18. 
• Bio-diesel blending in the country started from 10th August, 2015 and in the year 2018-19, Oil Marketing Companies have allocated 7.6 crore litres of biodiesel. 
• Oil PSUs are also planning to set up 12 Second Generation (2G) Bio-refineries to augment ethanol supply and address environmental issues arising out of burning of agricultural biomass.