IOC’s ethanol plant at Panipat to reach 100% capacity utilization soon

IOC’s ethanol plant at Panipat to reach 100% capacity utilization soon

Subject :Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

• Indian Oil Corporation’s ₹900-crore 2G ethanol plant, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in August 2022, is set to reach 100 percent capacity utilization in a few months from 30 per cent now.

Details:

• Feedstock for the bioethanol plant is rice husk (parali).
• Refiners like IOC are required to supply petrol that has 20 per cent (bio)ethanol by 2025.
• The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme of International Aviation (CORSIA) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation has said that airlines will fly with 2 per cent SAF blends.

What is Second Generation (2G) Ethanol?

• Second Generation (2G) differs from 1st generation ethanol in terms of feedstock and subsequently, the production process. Second Generation (2G) feed stocks include agri-residues like rice & wheat straw, cane trash, corn cobs & stover, cotton stalk, bagasse, Empty Fruit bunches (EFB), etc.

Government step to increase the production of 2G ethanol:

• Government has launched “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana” for providing viability gap funding to provide initial thrust to create 2G ethanol capacity in the country and attract investment in this sector.
• In this scheme, financial support to twelve Integrated Bio-ethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass & other renewable feedstock with total financial outlay of Rs 1969.50 crore for the period 2018-19 to 2023-24.

CORSIA:

• It was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and adopted in October 2016.
• It is a global scheme by ICAO to address the increase in total CO2 emissions from international aviation above 2020 levels.
• Its goal is to have a carbon neutral growth from 2020.
• It is one of the largest carbon pricing instruments in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions coverage.
• CORSIA uses Market-based environmental policy instruments to offset CO2 emissions: aircraft operators have to purchase carbon credits from the carbon market.
• Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries can volunteer to participate in CORSIA, while it is not mandated on them.
• All  ICAO member states with airplane operators conducting international flights are required to monitor, report and verify carbon dioxide emissions from these flights every year from 2019.
• Starting in 2021, the scheme is voluntary for all countries until 2027.
• All airplane operators with CO2 emissions less than or equal to 10,000 tonnes are exempted from the CORSIA reporting requirements.
• Emissions from domestic air travel are not included in CORSIA.
• Emissions from domestic aviation are addressed under the UNFCCC and calculated as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions.
• For Indian Operators, the CORSIA offsetting requirements will be applicable from 2027 i.e. the mandatory  phase of the CORSIA implementation.
• CORISA is expected to complement other planned measures such as:
  • aircraft technology evolution
  • operational improvements
  • the greater use of sustainable aviation fuels.
• In 2018, the International Civil Aviation Organization adopted the international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for CORSIA.

For further details of Ethanol: https://optimizeias.com/ethanol-blending-2/