The draft National Biofuel Policy has been sent to the group of ministers (GoM) headed z the agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar for approval, after which, it would be sent for the Union Cabinet’s approval, said the Union minister for new and renewable energy sources, Vilas Muttemwar.
Inaugurating a national seminar on climate change and biodiesel-2008, orgainsed by the Biodiesel Association of India in the capital on Friday, he said, ?Apart from the proposed National Biofuel Policy, the GoM would resolve the inter-ministerial tussle on setting up of the National Biofuel Mission and National Biofuel Development Board, by the end of this month or early next month.?
Muttemwar added that alternative clean energy technologies like biofuels could bridge the gap between the demand and supply of energy and reduce the import dependence on fossil oil. He said that energy security was necessary for the country for maintaining its sustained economic growth rate of 8% to 9% and therefore, the demand for energy was likely to increase four-fold.
Muttemwar also said that the demand for moter spirit was expected to grow from 10 million tonne in 2006-07 to about 12.85 million tonne by 2011-12, and that for diesel from 52 million tonne to 66 million tonne. The domestic supply of crude oil cannot solve the problem, he said as it met only 22% of the energy demand in the country, he said, adding that clean and affordable energy was required for both urban and rural areas.