Bihar: State pushes jatropha, ethanol to boost green energy

With World Biofuel Day falling on Sunday, residents of the city may recall the late President A P J Abdul Kalam’s convocation address at Patna University nearly two decades ago in which he urged the promotion of jatropha plantations and rural biofuel enterprises to meet Bihar’s energy needs.

Delivering his address at the city’s S K Memorial Hall on Dec 30, 2005, Kalam recommended using “chour” land (wetlands) for jatropha cultivation. “Biofuel plants grown in 11 million hectares of wasteland can yield a revenue of Rs 20,000 crore a year and provide employment to over 12 million people, both for plantation and running the oil extraction units,” he had said.

Although Patna University scientists did not initiate a dedicated project to boost the agricultural production of this biofuel plant in the state, agricultural experts identified 13 districts as suitable for cultivation. Farmers in at least Purnia and Kaimur districts are already growing jatropha commercially, according to Patna University botany department head Birendra Prasad.

Prasad added that jatropha, known in Hindi as ‘Ratan jot’, is among the best sources for biodiesel production. “Besides jatropha, other plants like maize and sugar cane are also being used for the production of ethanol. Growing such petro plants on a larger scale can boost the production of biofuels,” he said.

Bihar currently operates 12 ethanol factories, producing a combined 5.65 billion litres, with 60% of output exported to southern states. By 2026, nine new ethanol plants are expected to be established in districts including Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Kaimur, Muzaffarpur, Barh, Jamui, Vaishali and Buxar, according to the state industries department.

Recently, the state govt introduced the Bihar Biofuels Production Promotion (Amendment) Policy, 2025, aimed at increasing production of ethanol and compressed bio-gas (CBG) from organic waste materials such as agricultural residue and animal dung. The policy targets pollution reduction and a cleaner environment. Fittingly, the theme for this year’s World Biofuel Day is “Biofuels: a sustainable pathway to net zero.”

Environmentalist Mehta Nagendra Singh said the policy aligns with Bihar’s goal of expanding renewable energy use and contributing to India’s net-zero emissions targets. “The policy provides a framework to develop a sustainable biofuel sector in Bihar, attracting investment, creating economic opportunities, and promoting a greener environment,” he said.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.