ISMA showcases its ethanol commitment in first-ever stall at Ethanol pavilion in Auto Expo 2023
The Auto Expo 2023 begins on January 13 in Greater Noida. There will be eight participants at the Ethanol pavilion — ISMA, SIAM, Unica Brazil, IOCL, BPCL, Praj Industries, HPCL and US Grain. The theme of the ISMA stall is ‘We deliver the solution’. The stall promises to create awareness amongst auto enthusiasts and people at large that ‘ethanol biofuel is powering India’.
New Delhi
For the first time ever, there will be an exclusive Ethanol pavilion at the Auto Expo. The Auto Expo 2023 begins on January 13 in Greater Noida. There will be eight participants at the Ethanol pavilion — ISMA, SIAM, Unica Brazil, IOCL, BPCL, Praj Industries, HPCL and US Grain.
The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) is taking part at the Auto Expo and will have its own ethanol stall. The theme of the stall is ‘We deliver the solution’. The stall promises to create awareness amongst auto enthusiasts and people at large that ‘ethanol biofuel is powering India’. This was stated in a press note from ISMA.
The Government is desperate to find a solution to reducing vehicular emissions and improving the quality of air. Ethanol-blended petrol, says the press note, is the best alternative to fossil fuel. The oxygen in ethanol makes it the best “oxygenate” in the world, which helps petrol “burn” more efficiently within the vehicle engine. This reduces vehicular emissions.
On 5 June 2021, World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advanced India’s ethanol blending target of 20 per cent to 2025 from 2030 earlier.
As per the estimates of NITI Aayog, in order to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending in the country by 2025-26, about 1016 crore litres of ethanol would be required. The overall ethanol production capacity in the country has touched about 697 crore litres.
The sugar industry has set itself a goal of diverting 100 lakh tonnes (lt) of sugar for achieving production of 1000 crore litres. However, this would require higher ethanol production capacity, more distilleries, and conducive government policies to boost sugarcane and sugar production in the country.
In the current sugar season, the sugar industry is expected to divert about 45 lt of sugar to achieve the target of 12 per cent ethanol blending.
Need for clear road map on FFVs
ISMA believes that the time has come to explore how Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) can be promoted in the country. It is requesting the Government to levy the same Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the manufacturers of hybrid FFVs as is levied on the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.
There is a need for a clear road map on FFVs, feels ISMA. Not only will this give ethanol suppliers some visibility about the future of ethanol-run vehicles but oil marketing companies (OMCs) and automobile manufacturers will also be benefited, which will help them get a direction regarding the future of FFVs.
In October last year, Toyota India launched the first-ever hybrid FFV in the country. On 14 December 2022, ISMA signed an MoU with Toyota to promote FFVs in important cities in India. This is the first time such an MOU was signed by ISMA.
