Indian Aviation Will Use 20% Biofuels, Made From Stubble Over Next 5 Years: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that within the next five years, India's aviation industry will use 20 per cent of Bio-aviation fuel.

“Within five years our aviation industry will use 20 per cent of bio-aviation fuel, sustainable aviation fuel and that is to be starting it from parali (Stubble) and the farmer will get the rate of Rs 2500 per ton for it,” said Gadkari during a reply in Rajya Sabha.

The minister also highlighted that now the highway ministry is using bio-bitumen in the construction of roads which is helping India in reducing the imports of the Bitumen. Bio-bitumen is a bio-based binder derived from renewable sources like crop stubble and is used to bind the surfaces of paved roads.

“We are the largest road network in the world, 90 per cent of roads we are using Bitumens layer and Bitumens consumption in 2023-24 was 88 lak ton, 2024-25 which is expected to be 100 lak tan. In total, we need to import 50 per cent of the Bitumen and the annual import cost is Rs 25,000 to 30,000 crore”

The minister highlighted that Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) New Delhi in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Dehradun has developed Bio Bitumen from the stubble. The minister stated that by contributing to the energy sector the farmers have now become 'Urja Daata' also.

"Our farmers are now not only Anna Daata, they are Urja daata, not only Urja daata, they are Bitumen data and not only Bitumen daata, they are now Hawa Irdhan daata (Air Fuel)" the minister added.

The minister also informed that a test section has also been laid on the Shamli-Muzaffarnagar Section of NH-709AD in November 2022 for performance monitoring for a period of three years to assess the suitability of bio-bitumen in road construction.

NHAI has also contemplated a trial with bio-bitumen on the Jorabat-Shillong section of NH-40. Envisaged benefits of bio-bitumen are a reduction in bitumen import, reduced  Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and an opportunity for farmers/MSMEs to generate revenue and provide employment. (ANI)