eai presentation on second generation biofuels bangalore dec 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Second Generation Biofuels in India – Relevance and Status
Narasimhan SanthanamEnergy Alternatives India
(EAI)
About EAI
• Leading Indian renewable energy business intelligence, market strategy consulting firm
• Work on all primary renewable energy sectors – solar, wind, bio-fuels / biomass, waste-to-energy and small hydro
• Work on market research, entry and diversification strategy, economic and financial modeling and pre-feasibility analysis
• Team comprises professionals from IITs and IIMs, with renewable energy, industry research and economics backgrounds
• Based out of Chennai, India• More at www.eai.in
Contents
• Biofuels• Biofuels in India• Second Generation Biofuels in India• Cellulosic Ethanol• Jatropha Biodiesel• Opportunities for India• Benefits for India• Second Gen Biofuels – Current
Status• The Road Ahead
Introduction to Biofuels
Biofuels
1st generation
1st generation
2nd generation
2nd generation
3rd generation
CornCaneMaize
SwitchgrassCellulosicGasification
PalmSoybeansRapeseed
JatrophaGasification
Algae
Ethanol Biodiesel
Biofuels in India
• Mainly uses first generation feedstocks
• Ethanol - Sugarcane molasses
• Biodiesel - Rapeseed and other edible oils for biodiesel
Govt Incentives and Plans
Specific mandates and incentives for biofuels
– 20% biofuels by 2017 (National Policy on Biofuels, 2008)
– Mandatory 5% blending for ethanol and biodiesel (Nov 2009)
– Government agreed on a price of 34 rupees per liter of petrol for biodiesel purchase by oil companies (Nov 2009)
– Incentives for Jatropha cultivation (IREDA…)
Inspite of Mandates & Incentives…
• Fuel Ethanol - 60 million gallons in India vs. 15 billion gal worldwide in 2008 (0.4%)
• Biodiesel - 10 million gallons vs. 3 billion gallons in 2008 (0.3%)
• Less than 0.5% of total transportation fuel in India uses biofuels
• It can be inferred that India’s performance in biofuels has been very poor
Possible Solution
Second Generation Biofuels
Why Second Gen Biofuels Could Be the Solution
First Gen Second Gen
Food vs. Fuel Non food biomass
Needs arable land Can grow on marginal lands
Not scalable Vast range of biomass makes it scalable
Low yields and viability Higher yields; more viable
Second Generation Biofuels in India
2nd Gen Ethanol - Cellulosic Ethanol
• Made from cellulosic biomass• Examples of cellulosic biomass – corn stover,
switchgrass, crop residues.• Scalability is high, but so is current cost of
production• High cost owing to need for pretreatment• In late pilot stage, not yet commercialized
2nd Gen Ethanol - Cellulosic Ethanol
Cellulosic Ethanol Potential in India
• India produces about 440 million tons of crop residues annually; this translates to about 130 million T of ethanol per annum
• India has 63 million ha waste land; translates to about maximum potential of over 500 million T of cellulosic ethanol per annum.This is equivalent to 350 tons of petroleum.
• India’s total crude oil import is about 110 MT per annum
Cellulosic Ethanol Status
• Been primarily a North American phenomenon
• Relatively new to India
• Mostly in R&D stage, only a few pilot projects
Cellulosic Ethanol – Prospects & Problems
Prospects Problems
Effective utilization of waste biomass
Technology not yet commercial
Could take care of all India’s gasoline substitute needs
High costs of production
Some process routes highly scalable
Lack of R&D in India
2nd Gen Biodiesel - Jatropha Biodiesel
• First plantations started in the early part of this decade
• India was the first country to grow it on large scale
• Plantations now in other parts of Asia and Africa.
• No large scale Jatropha biodiesel production yet
2nd Gen Biodiesel - Jatropha Biodiesel
Source: http://www.rrbconference.com/bestanden/downloads/125.pdf
Jatropha Biodiesel Growth in India
Year Area under cultivation (mill ha)
CAGR
2008 0.5
2010 1.2 55%
2015 1.9 10%
Jatropha Biodiesel in India - Prospects & Problems
Prospects Problems
Significantly reduce our fossil fuel dependency
Much lower yields than expected
Utilize marginal lands Lack of expert knowledge across entire value chain
Generate rural employment
Not reliable enough for farmers to invest in it
Opportunities for India in Second Gen Biofuels
Opportunities for– Oil companies– Farmers– Agri R&D companies– Equipment manufacturers– Vegetable oil companies– Sugar mills and distilleries
Opportunities for India in Second Gen BF
Opportunities for– Logistics Companies
• Biomass to fuels requires significant transportation and material handling
– Local employment opportunities• The investment in the ethanol
industry per job created is $11,000, which is significantly less than the $220,000 per job in the petroleum field.
Benefits for India from Second Gen Biofuels
• Lower fuel import bill
• Less dependence on Middle East for oil
• More environmentally sustainable transport fuels
• Higher rural employment
India’s Current Status in Second Gen Biofuels
• Second Gen biofuels yet to make any impact in India
• Reasons:– Govt not enforcing mandates and not
enough incentives– Low investments by govt and private
sector– Little R&D
The Road Ahead
• Set up apex bodies that can act co-ordinate national level activities – equivalent of National Biodiesel Board for the US
• Invest significantly in R&D for both Jatropha and Cellulosic Ethanol
• Sponsor grants and other funding to accelerate research and pilot plant projects in second gen biofuels
Second Generation Biofuels Can Provide a Solution to India’s
Transport Fuel Woes, But Only If Government and Industry Take Proactive Measures and Make
Significant Investments
Thank You