Steps Ahead for the Indian Bioethanol Industry Thanks to Potato Waste Conversion
India, the world’s second-largest potato grower, confronts a tremendous issue in handling post-harvest trash due to poor storage and transportation. The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), though, is seizing the chance presented by this obstacle.
According to an article in The Economic Times, it is leading a ground-breaking project to turn potato trash into ethanol. This biofuel can potentially lessen India’s dependency on fossil fuels and its environmental impact.
The pilot biofuel operation will produce ethanol from inferior and wasted potatoes and is anticipated to be in a high-production region like West Bengal, Gujarat, or Uttar Pradesh. The starch from potato washing water and potato peels will be the facility’s primary sources of ethanol conversion, according to CPRI.
Not a New Thing
The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) aims also to create novel potato types for the manufacture of bioethanol. To lessen environmental pollution and reliance on imported fuels, the institute’s experts have already been successful in making ethanol from potatoes.
“Currently, most of the ethanol produced in the country comes from sugarcane, which is primarily grown for sugar production. Given the rising demand for ethanol, CPRI has conducted trials to produce ethanol from potatoes. Dr. Dinesh Kumar, Head of the CPRI’s Crop Physiology, Biochemistry, and Post-Harvest Technology Department, along with his colleague Dr. Dharmendra Kumar, has identified potato varieties suitable for bioethanol production and successfully produced bioethanol. The institute will now focus on developing new potato varieties for this purpose. Until these new varieties are available, ethanol will be produced from substandard potatoes,” the BioEnergyTimes wrote earlier this year.
A 15% loss in potato production occurs nationwide as a result of several circumstances, including poor market demand, disease, and damage sustained during harvest. You can make ethanol out of this excess and damaged potato. India wants to increase the percentage of ethanol in fuel from 1.5% to 30% by 2030, with a target of 20% by 2025.
According to a source in the media, Dr. Brajesh Singh, the Director of CPRI, confirmed that effective trials have been conducted to produce ethanol from potatoes, using as much as 15% of crop damage. To achieve this, the institute will now create potato types that will support it.
The viability of using potatoes to produce ethanol was examined in a 2021 study, with Dr. Dharmendra Kumar as one of the authors. The potato was found to have large amounts of starch, cellulose, and other carbohydrates, according to component analysis data. The high starch, pectin, cellulose, and α-amylase activity in potato pulp make the enzymes appropriate for saccharification. A double dose of hydrothermal treatment doubled the glucose yield. Several yeast strains effectively converted the resultant hydrolyzate to ethanol without the need for additional nutrients.
“Authors would like to acknowledge the Directors of ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla for constant support and guidance,” the scientists behind the “Utilization of Potato Waste for Production of Bioethanol: a Novel Technology” research paper wrote.
