Cement, Energy and Environment

country has imported about 99 Mt of crude oil during 2005/06, as reported by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, causing a burden of Rs . 171702 crores and foreign exchange. The global energy security concern, along with the growing interest in the environmental benefits associated with the use of renewable energy, has resulted in wide-ranging government policies that promote biofuel production. It is also driven by the Kyoto Protocol, which mandates greenhouse gas reduction to the member countries. Biofuels are, thus, considered to be a viable option for achieving the targeted reduction by many countries. India has experienced a dramatic growth in fossil fuel C0 2 emissions at the rate of 5.9% since 1950. Biofuel is carbon-neutral and environment– friendly, and therefore, it decreases the em1ss1on of greenhouse gases. As biofuel is carbon-neutral, it does not add C0 2 to the atmosphere and has been supported with lifecycle analysis. The analysis shows that biofuel emits less greenhouse gases and fossil fuels like petroleum and diesel. Ethanol produces 13 per cent less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels (Science Daily, 2007) and biodiesel can reduce carbon emissions by 78 per cent (United States Agency for International Development). Ethanol was found to have a 21 per cent reduction in C0 2 equivalent production in comparison of 2.44kg C0 2 equivalenUiitre production from gasoline. The reduction in greenhouse gas em1ss1on is larger with lignocellulosic ethanol than for starch-derived ethanol due to the lower overall oil input required in the process. Table 1 indicates the reduction in emissions. It is estimated that the country will need about 260-264 Mt of food grains, 130 -150 Mt of vegetables, 80 -106 Mt of fruits, 10-'14 Mt of meat, 35 billion eggs, 10-14 Mt of fish, and 12 Mt of edible oils to provide adequate nutrition to 1.35 billion people by 2020. India achieved food self-sufficiency 30 years Table 1 Reduction in pollution emission with different percentages of ethanol blending Pollutant Emission (~a) Emission (g/km) 1 o~c. 1sac. 22°o 1OO% ethanol ethanol ethanol ethanol blend blend blend blend Particulate latter 27 41 0.08 0.02 NOx 4 5 0.45 0.34 Carbon monoxide 20 27 0.76 0.65 Unburned 0.004 0.02 hydrocarbons Sulphur dioxide 0.064 0.0 250 200 150 100 # 50 I .t 0 1952/53 2007/08 0 Total food production (million tonnes) c::J Area of production (million hectares) Figure 1 Area and production of food grains over Table 2 Population and per capita per day net availability of food grains Year Population Per capita net availability per day (gm) (million) Cereals Pulses Total 1952 369.2 325.4 59.1 384.5 1962 452.2 398.9 62.2 460.9 1972 563.9 419.1 47.0 466.1 1982 703.8 415.6 39.2 454.8 1992 867.8 434.5 34.3 468.8 2002 1050.6 458.7 35.4 494.1 2003 1068.2 408.5 29.1 437.6 2004 1085.6 426.9 35.8 462.7 2005 1102.8 390.9 31 .5 422.4 2006 1119.8 412.8 32.5 445.3 2007 1136. 5 407.4 35.5 442.8 Source: Economic survey 2008/09 74 --- -