Biofuel, ethanol from algae, beet sugar crops: A win-win opportunity for India

By N.S. Venkataraman*

During an Earth Day event on 22nd April 2025, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister highlighted that agriculture’s contribution to India’s GDP has declined to 14% over the years. This observation underscores the urgent need for a national dialogue on revitalizing the agricultural sector through eco-friendly and holistic methods to enhance its GDP contribution.

Currently, manufacturing and services sectors contribute 22% and 54% to GDP, respectively. The shrinking share of agriculture is partly due to the reduction in cultivable land, diverted for infrastructure, housing, and other projects. To reverse this trend, farming activities must be economically viable for farmers, nationally relevant, and environmentally sustainable.

India’s agricultural landscape remains dominated by wheat, paddy, sugarcane, cotton, and similar crops. While government initiatives like minimum support prices and subsidies have sustained farmers, they have not significantly boosted agriculture’s GDP contribution.

Ethanol Blending: Challenges and Alternatives

The government’s push for ethanol blending with petrol aims to reduce crude oil imports. Ethanol is produced from food crops like sugarcane, rice, and maize, with oil marketing companies offering remunerative prices. However, this strategy raises concerns in a densely populated country with persistent poverty, where diverting food crops for fuel may conflict with food security. Additionally, using starch from maize for ethanol instead of value-added derivatives (currently imported petrochemical substitutes) represents a missed opportunity for higher farmer income and reduced crude oil dependency.

The Union Minister’s proposal to produce ethanol from bamboo offers a viable alternative, avoiding competition with food crops. Bamboo-based ethanol could economically empower farmers, particularly in Northeast India, while aligning with environmental goals.

Exploring Algae and Beet Crops for Sustainable Solutions

Algae cultivation presents a promising avenue. Algae grow rapidly (doubling biomass in 1–3 days) and require saline water, sunlight, and CO₂, making them ideal for wastelands without encroaching on fertile agricultural land. With 20–25% oil content, algae can yield biofuel, while residual biomass can be fermented into ethanol. This approach integrates agriculture and industry, leveraging India’s abundant wasteland, solar resources, and CO₂ emissions from power plants to create rural employment and reduce fossil fuel reliance.

Similarly, sugar beet cultivation merits attention. Compared to sugarcane, beet requires less water, allows two annual harvests, and fits into crop rotation systems, enhancing soil productivity. Beet processing yields sugar, ethanol, and cattle feed, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional sugarcane-based ethanol.

Policy Imperatives

Despite global advancements in algae biofuels and beet ethanol, India lags in adopting these technologies. Globally, 30% of sugar production relies on beet, supported by R&D and policy incentives. For India, scaling algae and beet ethanol production could reduce crude oil imports, curb emissions, and elevate agriculture’s GDP contribution.

The government must prioritize policy frameworks, R&D funding, and farmer incentives to unlock these opportunities. By aligning agricultural innovation with industrial demand, India can achieve energy security, environmental sustainability, and equitable rural growth—a true win-win for the nation.

---

*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai

Comments

Telangana government urged to stop 'unconstitutional' relocation of Chenchu tribes

By A Representative The Nallamalla forests are witnessing a renewed surge of indigenous resistance as the Chenchu adivasis , a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have formally launched the Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF) on the eve of World Earth Day to combat what they describe as unlawful and forced relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve .

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

The high price of unemployment: The human cost of the drug crisis in J&K

By Raqif Makhdoomi* Jammu and Kashmir is no longer merely at risk of a drug epidemic ; it is losing the fight. The statistics are staggering, with approximately 13.5 lakh people—nearly 8% of the total population—caught in the grip of substance abuse . In the ranking of Indian Union Territories , Jammu and Kashmir now sits at a grim top. We have officially reached a point where we can no longer speak in hypotheticals about a future crisis. The vocabulary has shifted from "if" to "if not addressed immediately."

India 'violating international law obligations' over Israel ties: UN rapporteur

By A Representative Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has alleged that India is “violating its obligations under international law” through its continued association with Israel, including defence ties and alleged arms exports during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Chromatographies of the self: Gender, labour, and resistance in Deepti Kushwah's verse

By Ravi Ranjan* Any sensitive reader of contemporary Hindi poetry will find it impossible to overlook the eight poems by Deepti Kushwah recently published in Samalochan . This suite—comprising works such as ‘Ekākelī ābha’ (A Solitary Radiance), ‘Praśna mem camaktā huā’ (Glowing in the Question), and ‘Ek ankahī tapis’ (An Unspoken Heat)—constructs a multidimensional collage where colour transcends mere visual experience.

Search This Blog