Indian Oil, the largest state-owned oil and gas corporation in India, is calling on the government to permit the processing of biodiesel alongside conventional crude oil at its refineries. The company believes this change could help achieve the country’s goal of a 5% biodiesel blend by 2030., reported AUTOCAR professional.
Speaking at the Infineum Conference 2024 in Jaipur,Alok Sharma, Indian Oil’s Director of Research and Development, emphasized thebenefits of integrating biodiesel processing with existing refinery operations.“We’re proposing to the government that co-processing these oils in refineryunits could meet the biodiesel mandate,” Sharma said.
By blending biodieselwith traditional diesel during processing, Sharma noted that Indian Oil couldproduce a higher-quality diesel more efficiently. However, he added thatlarger-scale blending might eventually require dedicated units.
India has faced challenges in ramping up biodiesel use, despite government backing for over a decade. Most biodiesel in the countryis made from non-edible vegetable oils, animal fats, and palm stearin. The 2018 National Policy on Biofuels identified used cooking oil (UCO) from large consumers like restaurants and hotels as a potential biodiesel source, aimingto collect and convert it for fuel. According to the International Energy Agency, achieving the 5% target by 2030 would require around 4.5 billion litres ofbiodiesel per year. This ambitious goal will necessitate a range of supportmeasures similar to those for ethanol, such as production incentives, setpricing, and feedstock support, particularly for materials like UCO andnon-edible oils from marginal lands. Expanding biodiesel use could reduce dependence onpetroleum imports, cut greenhouse gas emissions, boost the local economy, andhelp maintain the range and efficiency of diesel vehicles.
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