For the first time in India, used cooking oil-based biodiesel blended diesel has been flagged-off from the Tikrikalan terminal of Indian Oil Corporation in New Delhi.
The flag-off was remotely done by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel in the presence of Tarun Kapoor, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and SM Vaidya, Chairman, IOCL.
The Minister called this a landmark development in India’s pursuance of biofuels and said it will have a positive impact on the environment. “This initiative will garner substantial economic benefits for the nation by shoring up indigenous biodiesel supply, reducing import dependence, and generating rural employment,” he said.
Feedstock availability in biodiesel has always been a challenge for the country, and leveraging used cooking oil (UCO) can be a major breakthrough that will enable the country to reach the target of 5% biodiesel blending, said Kapoor. It will also help divert the unhealthy used oil from the food chain to a more productive purpose, he said.
IndianOil, in fact, has started constructing eight biodiesel plants across Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel, and can be produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, tallow and waste cooking oil. A significant advantage of biodiesel is its carbon-neutrality. The oilseed absorbs the same amount of CO2 as is released, when the fuel is combusted in a vehicle. Biodiesel is rapidly biodegradable and is completely non-toxic.
Talking about IndianOil’s contribution, Vaidya said the company is committed to retrieve the unhealthy UCO and usher in a revolution through “Randhan se Indhan”. Conversion of UCO to biodiesel will contribute to a more energy secure, greener and healthier India, he said.
Initiative On UCO
It was on August 10, 2019 that Pradhan and Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, had initiated Expressions of Interest for “Procurement of Bio-diesel produced from Used Cooking Oil”. This was done with the intent to create an ecosystem for collection and conversion of UCO into biodiesel and developing entrepreneurship opportunities.
Such EoIs are being periodically released by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). In the first phase, 11 EoIs were floated between August 10, 2019 and November 9, 2020 for 200 locations. Pradhan appreciated the proactive role played by OMCs in this direction and shared that 30 LOIs have already been issued. Publication of EoIs has been extended for one more year up to December 31, 2021 for 300 locations across the country.