Isma

Advocating Sustainability through Bio-Energy Solutions

Embracing
Sustainable
Agriculture: A
Necessity

Climate change, with its alternating droughts and floods, has made sustainable agriculture more urgent than ever. These conditions disrupt the cropping cycle, risking crop failure and impacting our economy. Biofuel is a vital strategy for India's green initiative, providing stable farmer incomes without raising food prices. Sugarcane, rich in cellulose, is ideal for bioenergy, demonstrating how the sugar industry supports sustainable growth.

Bioenergy: A Crucial
Accelerator of Sustainability

The sugar industry plays a pivotal role in the bio-energy sector, both globally and in India. With 60% of the Indian workforce engaged in agriculture, increasing food prices is not a viable solution for raising farmers' incomes. Therefore, biofuel production emerges as a crucial strategy for improving livelihoods and supporting India's green initiatives. The success of the sugar industry in boosting farmers' income through biofuel production highlights its importance in this sustainable shift.

India’s Bioenergy Production Potential

Parameter	Quantity
Power generation potential	Annual power generation potential of 208 billion units (BU) from 28GW³
Additional bagasse-based cogeneration potential	Annual power generation potential of 65BU⁴ from 14GW⁵
Bioethanol production potential from agri-waste⁶	From sugarcane (1G): Sugar/sugar syrup - 9,523.52 KLPD B molasses - 24,843.98 KLPD C molasses - 13,309.27 KLPD From rice (2KG) - 897.25 KLPD From maize (2G) - 395.67 KLPD

Parameter

Quantity

Power generation potential

Annual power generation potential of 208 billion units (BU) from 28GW³

Additional bagasse-based cogeneration potential

Annual power generation potential of 65BU⁴ from 14GW⁵

Bioethanol production potential from agri-waste⁶

From sugarcane (1G):

Sugar/sugar syrup - 9,523.52 KLPD
B molasses - 24,843.98 KLPD
C molasses - 13,309.27 KLPD

From rice (2KG) - 897.25 KLPD

From maize (2G) - 395.67 KLPD

Five-year biofuel demand growth, main case

2011-28

Bio-Energy Dynamics: Sugarcane, the Wonder Crop & Challenges

Sugarcane stands out as the primary crop for bio-energy production due to its high cellulose content, which facilitates easier conversion to biofuels like ethanol. This makes sugarcane an efficient and sustainable source of bio-energy, reinforcing its role in India 's energy strategy. The returns on cultivating sugarcane are 60%–70% more than most other crops.

While sugarcane is a relatively sturdier crop, it is still not completely immune to climate change. Erratic rainfall patterns and water shortages pose substantial risks to crop yields and the livelihoods of farmers. Addressing these challenges is crucial for ensuring the sustainability and resilience of the sugar and bio-energy industries.

Empowering Growth

Navigating Opportunities for Cane Farmers

Fair Compensation

Price determination and distribution mechanisms for sugar need improvement for fair compensation. The decontrol of sugar impacts market stability and farmers' incomes.

Streamlining Regulations

The establishment of new factories faces regulatory and financial hurdles. Various laws related to the sugar industry require amendments to better address current industry dynamics.

Productivity and Efficiency

Increasing productivity within the sugar industry demands innovative agricultural practices and technologies. Improving the efficiency of this industry in terms of power consumption is vital for reducing operational costs and enhancing sustainability.

Environmental and Alternative Uses

Pollution mitigation is critical for sustainable farming practices and environmental health. Exploring alternative uses of sugarcane, such as ethanol production, presents opportunities but poses logistical and technological challenges.

Market Expansion

Enhancing exports is necessary for market diversification and stability. This requires overcoming international trade barriers.

Support Systems

Substantial government support is needed for sugar mills to become more profitable, ensuring the overall viability and growth of the sugarcane farming sector. Additionally, issues surrounding cane area reservations create conflicts and inefficiencies that need resolution.

Taskforce & Recommended Practices

Recycling Bagasse

Promotion of Jaggery

Financial Assistance to Distressed Sugar Mills

Long-Term Pricing Formula for Ethanol

Complete Restructuring of the Industry

ISMA Initiatives

ISMA, the largest consortium of bio-energy producers in India, has played a pivotal role in policy advocacy, adoption, and innovation of bio-energy technologies and application both in India and globally. Actively engaged across various platforms, ISMA is aligned with India's vision for agrarian prosperity, energy security, sustainability and a Bio-future for all.

ISMA Initiatives

CEM BioFuture Campaign

ISMA has been a key stakeholder in G20 and Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM14) deliberations. In partnership with UNICA, ISMA organised Ethanol talks in 2023, participated in the Energy Transition Working Groups, the Minister-CEO Roundtable on Biofuels and has championed biofuels as a stakeholder to the CEM BioFuture Campaign.

Flexi-Fuel Vehicles

ISMA has been actively advocating for the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles, which can run on varying ethanol blends. This initiative, endorsed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, aims to enhance the use of ethanol in the transportation sector, thereby supporting sustainable fuel practices.

COP28

At COP28, ISMA took a leading role in shaping the discourse on bio-energy and its role in meeting the Paris Goals. Beyond panel discussions and collective interventions, ISMA also hosted a dinner for the COP presidency's youth climate delegates to facilitate discussions with the future leaders from all over the world on agriculture and climate change.

Biofuels and Ethanol Blending Programme

Under the guidance of the ISMA, sugar mills are actively participating in the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP). This initiative promotes using ethanol as a fuel to reduce carbon emissions. The initiative is supported by the NITI Aayog's comprehensive roadmap and the launch of E100 pilot projects.

Emerging Technologies

ISMA's partnership with IISc, SBI, etc. to foster research on emerging Biotechnologies like SAF and Bio based Green Hydrogen and crop climate resilience.

Knowledge Sharing

ISMA conducts monthly knowledge sharing and capacity building sessions from leading solution providers of the world to facilitate innovation and stay updated on the best practices.