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National Seminar on “Bio Fuel Programme in India – The Way Forward”

13 Jul 2015 | MoPNG Press Release

The National seminar on “Bio Fuel Programme in India – The Way Forward” organised by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas at Vigyan Bhavan was launched in New Delhi on 13 July 2015.  Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C), Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri. Dharmedra Pradhan inaugurated the seminar by lighting the lamp in the presence of  Padma Vibhushan Dr. R A Mashelkar Chancellor - AcSIR, NCL, Pune, Shri K D Tripathi, Secretary, MoP&NG and Shri. Sandeep Poundrik Jt. Secretary( Refinery), MoP&NG. Chairman & Managing Directors of Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Oil Corporation also participated in the seminar.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) has prepared a road map to accelerate the implementation of Bio-fuel program by increasing their consumption in India. A Working Group has been set up under the chairmanship of Shri. Y B Ramakrishna former Chairman of the Karnataka state Bio Fuel Development Board with the task of preparing the road map for creating synergy between various Ministries, develop awareness and conduct program in the country.

This National Seminar is aimed at accelerating the blending program in the country and draw up a road map to reduce the consumption of fossils fuels by replacing it with locally produced bio fuels thus reducing the foreign exchange out flow, generate rural employment and protect environment

There were sessions on Bio diesel, Bio Ethanol and New Technologies & Initiatives. The session on Bio Diesel was chaired by Shri. Sandeep Poundrik Jt. Secretary( Refinery), MoP&NG which focused on the current Biodiesel scenario and supply chain issues and a presentation on the Industry perspective was made by Shri B. Ashok C& MD, IOCL. The session on Bio Ethanol was chaired by Shri. Prashant Trivedi, Jt. Secretary (Sugar) focused on streamlining bio-ethanol programme in India and an industry perspective on Bio-ethanol was presented by Shri. S.Varadarajan, C&MD, BPCL.

The session on New Technologies and Initiatives was chaired by Dr. M.O.Garg DG CSIR and looked at various resources such as agriculture residues, Municipal solid waste and plastic wastes and leading edge technologies for converting them to into fuels which can replace the fossil fuels. An industry perspective on New Technologies and Initiatives was presented by Ms. Nishi. Vasudeva C&MD, HPCL.
Representatives of the Bio Diesel & Bio Ethanol Industry, Senior executives of OMC’s, Researchers, Academics and Jt. Secretaries of several ministries and from the state governments participated in this seminar.