Now cars, bikes and vehicles will run on potatoes. An effective solution has been found in the country. The government is going to start a new plant.

Located in Shimla Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) has developed a new technology in which ethanol will be produced from potato waste and peels. This ethanol can prove to be an effective and cheap fuel for the environment. According to reports, CPRI is soon going to start a pilot plant of this technology, which will test the production of fuel from potato waste.

India is the second largest potato producer country in the world. About 10% of the total potato production is from India. 10-15% A portion of it spoils or is wasted, making it an ideal feedstock for ethanol production. Earlier, ethanol was mostly produced from sugarcane and maize, but now potatoes can be added to this list. National Bio-fuel Policy In 2015 too, spoiled potatoes have been reported to be a suitable feedstock for making ethanol.

Scientists of CPRI Dharmendra Kumar “India has the largest network of cold storage facilities for potatoes and a huge quantity of potato waste is suitable for ethanol production,” he said.

Potato production and wastage in India

Every year, India is approximately 56 million tons of potatoes produces. Of this, approximately 8-10% Potatoes are converted into chips, fries and other processed products. Whereas, 10% of the total production 20-25% part gets wasted, which is close 11-14 million metric tons This is because of poor storage facilities, difficulties in transportation and improper handling.

Where will the pilot plant be located?

Scientists believe that this pilot plant can be set up in potato processing areas like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal or Gujarat, as potatoes are produced in the highest quantity here. Ethanol will be produced in this plant using potato waste and inferior potatoes.

How will ethanol be made from potatoes? Scientists say that the starch and peels left after peeling potatoes in the potato processing plant will be used to make ethanol. The starch present in the water after peeling potatoes will also play an important role in this process.

Why is this scheme important? Making ethanol from potatoes is not only a good use of waste, but it can also be a new and cheap fuel option for India. This will not only reduce dependence on fuel imports, but will also greatly benefit the environment.