Pawar moots biofuels under 'declared goods'

23 August 2008

Gurgaon: Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has said that the government was in favour of bringing biodiesel and bioethanol under the ambit of 'declared goods', in order to help in the unrestricted movement of biofuels within and outside the states.

Inaugurating the first Biofuels India Summit organised at Gurgaon jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), Pawar said the National Policy on Biofuels envisaged ambitious targets, which would certainly boost biofuels as an alternative energy source, and would thereby facilitate greater investment in the sector.

The summit aims to explore global opportunities in first and second generation biofuels in India, bringing together global perspectives from senior functionaries of ministerial experts, leading national-international biofuels manufacturers and service providers, financial institutions, premier academic and research and development (R&D) institutions, multi-lateral agencies and other expert professionals on biofuels business.

Comanche Clean Energy chairman Tom Cauchois is also presenting "Vision and Perspective of the Biofuel sector from Brazil" at the Biofuels India 2008 Summit. Other presenters at the function include Philip G New, president of global biofuels at British Petroleum; Vilas Muttemwar, minister of state of for new and renewable energy; Dr Gautam Bhandari, executive director of Morgan Stanley Bank, USA; and S Sriram, head of biofuels for Tata Chemicals.

In his keynote address, minister of state for new and renewable energy Vilas Muttemwar expressed the hope the national policy on biofuels, which is awaiting Cabinet approval, would provide a roadmap for the Indian industry and the public sector to tap the full potential of this critical sector.

Muttemwar said that promotion of biofuels would go a long way in meeting the country's energy security needs and sustain the momentum of economic growth.