As World Biofuel Day was celebrated around the globe, a noteworthy announcement came from the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The minister released the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the procurement of biodiesel produced from Used Cooking Oil (UCO). This bold initiative has opened a new realm of opportunities for entrepreneurs planning to establish biodiesel plants, offering them an appealing price and assurance of complete absorption of their production by oil companies for blending with conventional diesel.
Launching the ‘Repurpose Used Cooking Oil’ (RUCO) Initiative
An exciting facet of this initiative is the ‘Repurpose Used Cooking Oil’ (RUCO) sticker and phone app. The primary function of these tools is to facilitate the aggregation of used cooking oil. Hotels and restaurants that are inclined towards contributing their used cooking oil can use the RUCO sticker to signal their readiness.
Background of the Initiative
The announcement arrived on the heels of a directive from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), instructing Food Safety Commissioners to ensure that Food Business Operators (FBOs) limit their reuse of oil to no more than three times, provided the FBOs’ consumption of edible oils for frying exceeds 50 litres per day. FSSAI is concurrently developing a mobile app to trace and track used cooking oil. As part of the larger initiative, FSSAI also plans to request oil manufacturers to create colour charts which can help people discern whether the oil is fresh or reused.
Fact Detail Usage of Cooking Oil No more than three times if usage exceeds 50 litres/day Tools to Promote the Initiative Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) sticker and mobile app Purpose of RUCO sticker and app To facilitate collection of used cooking oil
Significance of the Directive
The directive is aimed at ensuring cooking oil, when reused, neither re-enters the food chain nor is directly used in food preparation. The rationale behind this order arises from the fact that reused cooking oil, after multiple usages, tends to become acidic and its colour darkens – a phenomenon that may change the fatty acid composition of the oil.
Steps to Boost Biofuel Production
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is strategizing on a four-tiered plan for this purpose: it intends to promote Ethanol, 2-G ethanol, Compressed Biogas (CBG), and Biodiesel. Ethanol blending in petroleum has risen from 1% to approximately 8%, and is projected to reach 10%. The Budget 2019-20 highlighted the shift of farmers from Annadata (food providers) to Urjadata (energy providers). As part of this transformation, the government plans to permit the production of ethanol from surplus food grains, thus preventing wastage and avoiding expenditure on storage.
The City Gas Distribution (CGD) network is being established in over 400 districts, promising to greatly boost the use of CBG. To prepare CBG, biogas must undergo purification to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide gases. With a calorific value and other properties akin to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), CBG can be utilized as a green, renewable automotive fuel.
