Potato waste may soon fuel your car
The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) is planning to establish a pilot plant, aimed at transforming potato waste into ethanol. This initiative comes as a response to the significant post-harvest losses experienced by India, the world's second-largest potato producer. The proposed facility will be located in high-production areas such as Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal, and will utilize both discarded potatoes and substandard ones for ethanol production.
CPRI's innovative approach to biofuel production
The Shimla-based CPRI has recently completed laboratory studies on repurposing potato waste for biofuel production. The institute is now ready to test this technology in a pilot plant. With 10-15% of India's total potato production going to waste, potatoes are being considered as a potential feedstock for ethanol, following sugarcane and maize. The National Policy on Biofuels also includes rotten potatoes in its list of feedstocks for ethanol.
Potato waste: A viable alternative for ethanol production
Dharmendra Kumar, a scientist at CPRI, highlighted that potatoes are a viable alternative due to the significant amount of waste that can be repurposed. He also noted that India's extensive cold storage facilities for potatoes further support their use in ethanol production. Every year, India produces approximately 56 million ton of potatoes, with post-harvest losses estimated at 20-25% or 11-14 million metric ton due to poor storage facilities and transportation inefficiencies.
Pilot plant to utilize potato waste for ethanol production
Kumar revealed that the pilot plant for ethanol production is expected to be set up in regions with high potato production like Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal, and processing areas such as Gujarat. The facility aims to utilize potato waste and substandard potatoes for ethanol production. This initiative targets the significant amount of starch and cellulose available at processing plants in the form of potato peel, and starch present in water used for washing potatoes post-peeling.
