Page 318 - Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

Potentials of postharvest rice crop residues as a source of biofuel 287

Figure 13.8 Area under rice cultivation and production of rice for the year 2010/11 and
estimates for the year 2020/21 and 2030/31.

Rice being one of the staple foods of India generates huge amount of residues
postharvest and can act as a cheap source of raw material for the production of bio-
fuel. The area under production of rice crop and production thereof for the year
2010 11 and estimates for the year 2020 21 and 2030 31 indicates toward possi-
ble increase in residue amount. This shows a promising future of biofuel production
in India (Fig. 13.8).
The government has started taking keen interest in the biofuel production in
India. Considerable numbers of government and private organizations
(notable among them are D1 Oil Plc, Reliance Industries Ltd., Godrej Agrovet,
Emami Group, Aatmiya Biofuels Pvt. Ltd., Gujarat Oelo Chem Limited, Jain
Irrigation System Ltd., Nova Bio Fuels Pvt. Ltd., Sagar Jatropha Oil Extractions
Private Limited) are involved in the process of production and distribution of bio-
fuels within the country. A mandate was made for blending 5% ethanol with gaso-
line in nine states of India in 2003 and has been subsequently enhanced to 20 states
in the year 2006. The National Policy on Biofuels, 2010, even further approved
20% blending by the year 2017. The same policy also exempts biofuels from cen-
tral taxes and duties, thus promoting the biofuel sector in the country (Shinoj et al.,
2011).
Biofuel has cropped up as a better and alternative solution to the depleting petro-
leum fuel and the related environmental concern on a global scale. However, just
like many inventions, biofuels too have their own pros and cons (Fig. 13.9).
Biofuels can be widely available as their production does not depend on extraction
at specific sites unlike the fossil fuels. The quantity of emissions from biofuels in
the form of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, and
particulate matter is very low as compared to the conventional diesel. Production of
biofuels consumes less time and is by far renewable in nature. Biofuels especially