The Hindu : Producing bio-diesel on wasteland

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 15, 2002

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Producing bio-diesel on wasteland

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI JUNE 14. The Minister of State for Rural Development, Annasaheb M. K. Patil, has proposed wasteland development to grow non-edible oilseeds used in the manufacture of bio-diesel which can, in time, replace diesel. Bio-diesel is an efficient, clean, non-toxic, biodegradable 100 per cent natural energy alternative to petroleum fuels.

What is more, the development of wasteland — estimated at 30 million hectares in the country — can give employment to about 15 million unemployed people in the rural areas and progressively decrease foreign exchange outflow caused by the import of crude oil and diesel, Mr. Patil told select journalists here. The proposal was being scrutinised by the Prime Minister's Office, he said.

Many scientists, research scholars and NGOs were doing research in identifying and developing non-edible oilseeds on wastelands and producing alternative fuel from such oilseeds. India had vast tracts of degraded lands, mostly in areas with adverse agro-climatic conditions, where hardy tree borne oil species such as Jetropha, Karanja, Mahua, Jajoba etc., could be grown easily.

According to Mr. Patil, 30 million hectares of wasteland planted for bio-diesels could completely replace the current use of fossil fuels. The country's annual oil bill was Rs. 60,400 crores and wasteland development would require only about Rs. 1000 crores a year for 20 years to make India self-sufficient in oil forever, he said. Diesel forms nearly 40 per cent (40 million tonnes) of the total energy consumed in the form of oil.

Mr. Patil said, "assuming that one person can take care of two hectares of farming, the job potential of developing 30 million hectares of wasteland is 15 million. This is apart from jobs created for the collection of seeds, marketing and processing. Besides, production of bio-fuels will also create jobs for highly trained manpower in chemical, agricultural and industrial sectors. These jobs would be decentralised and shall be created away from congested urban centres.''

A project in manufacture of bio-diesel is being undertaken by the scientists of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, with the help of the Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources and the Rural Development Department of Karnataka. Some experiments are being done by the Indian Oil Company in Faridabad and by IIT, Delhi. The Andhra Pradesh Government has also funded a project by a private entrepreneur who has invested Rs. 35 crores.

The Ministry's proposal calls for the promotion of plantations of suitable oilseeds for bio-diesel and setting up of bio-diesel plants of one to 100 tonnes per day capacity, adding 10 million tonnes a year in five years. It also suggests arrangement of funds through banks, market promotion and development of vendors.

The indigenous bio-diesel will cost around Rs. 12.50 to Rs. 15 a litre.

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