India Seeks Biofuel Boost Amid Soaring Oil Costs
India is calling for an expansion of biofuel production in response to higher oil prices. Tarun Kapoor, an adviser in the office of India's prime minister, made this position clear at the India Sugar and Bio-Energy Conference.
Kapoor emphasized that the country must make maximum use of available resources to develop biofuels, including ethanol, compressed biogas, and new areas for their use in transport, industry, and energy. He also noted a need to expand the market and make fuller use of already established capacity.
India is the world's third-largest importer of crude oil, with nearly half its imports coming from the Middle East before the current conflict. The country has been paying a high price for alternative oil supplies since the start of this conflict.