Bureau of Indian Standards releases nine biofuel standards

In India, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India commits to complement the green initiatives of the country through development of relevant standards. Through an official release, BIS also announced that the Indian Standards will significantly complement the objectives of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), the multilateral forum announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during G20 leaders’ summit held recently in New Delhi.

The BIS release also quoted the Director General, BIS, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari wherein he said, “the announcement of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the G20 summit is a historic development in global efforts towards achieving clean energy goals. We, at the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), being the National Standards Body of India, are committed to support this path breaking initiative of the Government of India through development of relevant Indian Standards and necessary quality parameters/performance specifications.”

The release also highlighted the key standards that would aid stakeholders including manufacturers, traders, and other entities dealing with biofuel or related matters. The release stated that espousing the ethanol blending program and the objectives of the GBA, BIS has developed the following nine Indian standards on biofuels:

·      IS 15464 : 2022 Anhydrous Ethanol for Use as Blending Component in Motor Gasoline – Specification

·      IS 15607 : 2022 Biodiesel B-100 – Fatty Acid Methyl Esters FAME – Specification

·      IS 16087 : 2016 Biogas (Biomethane) – Specification (First Revision)

·      IS 16531 : 2022 Biodiesel Diesel Fuel Blend B8 to B20 Specification

·      IS 16629 : 2017 Hydrous ethanol for use in ED95 automotive fuel – Specification

·      IS 16634 : 2017 E85 fuel (Blend Of Anhydrous Ethanol And Gasoline) – Specification

·      IS 17021 : 2018 E 20 fuel – Admixture of anhydrous ethanol and gasoline – As fuel for spark ignited engine powered vehicles – Specification

·      IS 17081 : 2019 Aviation turbine fuel (Kerosene Type, Jet A – 1) containing synthesized hydrocarbons – Specification

·      IS 17821 : 2022 Ethanol as a Fuel for Use in Positive Ignition Engine Powered Vehicles – Specification

It is also informed by BIS that additionally, development of standard on paraffinic (green) diesel, that is derived from 2G feedstock, is also under progress. With the help of these set of standards, BIS believed, increased capacity of biofuel production can be achieved and will provide multipronged benefits. It was also added that ‘it will not only help in meeting the target of net zero by 2070 and 50% energy through renewable sources, but will also contribute in achieving several other objectives such as Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Waste to Wealth, and increasing farmers’ income to name a few.