New Delhi, May 18 (Representative) The Union Cabinet has approved the amendments to the National Policy on Biofuels 2018 in line with the advancements in the field of biofuels and decisions taken in the National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) meetings. The National Policy on Biofuels was notified by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on June 4, 2018 in supersession of the National Policy on Biofuels, promulgated through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in 2009.
The amendments have been done due to advancements in the field of Biofuels, decisions taken in the NBCC meetings to increase biofuel production, recommendation of the Standing Committee and the decision to advance to introduce Ethanol Blended Petrol with up to 20 per cent ethanol throughout the country from April 1, 2023. The main amendments approved including allowing more feedstock for production of biofuels, advancing the ethanol blending target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol to ESY 2025-26 from 2030, promoting the production of biofuels in the country under the Make in India programme by units located in Special Economic Zones, an official release said. The amendments also add new members to the NBCC, grant permission for export of biofuels in specific cases and amend certain phrases in the policy in line with decisions taken during the meetings of the National Biofuel Coordination Committee, the release added. This proposal will also attract and foster developments of indigenous technologies which will pave the way for Make in India drive and thereby generate more employment.