Recently, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said that India has become the World’s third largest Producer and Consumer of Ethanol.
About Ethanol:
It is an agricultural by-product which is mainly obtained from the processing of sugar from sugarcane, but also from other sources such as rice husk or maize.
Ethanol appears as a clear colorless liquid with a characteristic vinous odor and pungent taste.
Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, it is also considered as renewable fuel.
In India, ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process.
Ethanol blending is the process of combining ethanol and petrol to use less fossil fuel while driving a vehicle.
To supplement ethanol supplies, the Government of India has permitted the procurement of ethanol produced from sources other than molasses, which is known as first generation ethanol or 1G.
Apart from molasses, ethanol can be derived from rice straw, wheat straw, maize cobs, corn stover, bagasse, bamboo and woody biomass, which are known as second generation ethanol sources or 2G.
Applications
Ethanol is an important industrial chemical; it is used as a solvent, in the synthesis of other organic chemicals, and as an additive to automotive gasoline.
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