Oil Minister announces first biodiesel supply from used cooking oil, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld

New Delhi: Oil, Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday remotely reported the first supply of used cooking oil (UCO) biodiesel blended diesel under the Indian Oil’s Tikrikalan Terminal Expression of Interest (EoI) program.

Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan praised the oil industry for the stellar role it has played in keeping fuel lines running despite the difficult challenges of the pandemic. He also commended the MOCs for going beyond the usual business imperatives by expanding their support for the supply of medical oxygen to the nation in this crisis. Pradhan also appreciated IndianOil’s leadership role in smoothing the logistics of liquid oxygen in the country through various initiatives.

Referring to the discontinuation of the first UCO-based biodiesel supply from IndianOil’s Tikrikalan terminal, Pradhan said: “This is a milestone in India’s pursuit of biofuels and will have a positive impact on environment. This initiative will generate substantial economic benefits for the nation by strengthening local biodiesel supply, reducing dependence on imports and creating rural jobs. ”

To create an eco-system for collecting and converting UCOs into biodiesel and developing entrepreneurial opportunities, the Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel, as well as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare , Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, had launched expressions of interest (EoIs) for “Purchase of biodiesel produced from used cooking oil (UCO)” on the occasion of the World Day biofuels on August 10, 2019. And such an “expression of interest†is regularly published by petroleum marketing companies (WTO).

He appreciated the proactive role played by the petroleum marketing companies (WTO) in this direction and indicated that 30 letters of intent have already been issued.

In the first phase, 11 EoIs were launched between August 10, 2019 and November 9, 2020 for 200 locations. The publication of expressions of interest has been extended for one year until December 31, 2021 for 300 locations across the country.

As part of this initiative, MOCs periodically offer additional price guarantees for five years and extend direct debit guarantees for ten years to potential entrepreneurs. So far IndianOil has also issued 23 LOIs for biodiesel plants with a total capacity of 22.95 Cr liters (557.57 TPJ). As part of this initiative, IndianOil received 51 kl of UCO-Biodiesel at its Tikrikalan terminal in Delhi on March 31, 2021.

Secretary of the Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas Tarun Kapoor and Chairman of Indian Oil SM Vaidya were also present on the occasion.

Tarun Kapoor, while delivering his speech, said: “With this flag extinguished, a new era of bioenergy has been ushered in that will revolutionize the Indian petroleum sector. The availability of raw materials in biodiesel is a challenge, and leveraging UCO can be a major breakthrough for us to meet the 5% biodiesel blending target. It will also help divert unhealthy waste oil from the food chain to a more productive goal. “

Mr. Kapoor also praised IndianOil for its focused action on UCO-based biodiesel and for the concerted efforts undertaken to promote the benefits of biodiesel.

Earlier, IndianOil President SM Vaidya, while welcoming the rally, said, “IndianOil is committed to helping this remarkable campaign to reclaim unhealthy used cooking oil and usher in a revolution through” Randhan se Indhan “. We aspire to trace even the latest drop in UCO and ensure its conversion to biodiesel, thus contributing to a more energy-secure, greener and healthier India. This event is yet another important step towards a Swachh and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. â€He also explained that IndianOil had started building eight biodiesel plants in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to conventional or “fossil” diesel. It can be produced from vegetable oil, animal fat, tallow and used cooking oil. A significant advantage of biodiesel is its carbon neutrality, meaning that the oil seeds absorb the same amount of CO2 that is released when fuel is burned in a vehicle. In addition, biodiesel is rapidly biodegradable and completely non-toxic, an official statement said.