By Faiza Tehseen ISLAMABAD, Mar 01 (INP-WealthPK): Production of ethanol from multiple sources can help Pakistan not only boost its exports but also produce environment-friendly bio-fuels by making full use of the multitude of agricultural waste. Talking to INP-WealthPK, Arshad Javed Kiyani, secretary general of Pakistan Ethanol Manufacturers Association (PEMA), suggested that the government discourage export of raw materials like molasses, which is used to distil ethanol to help the country enhance ethanol levels in gasoline for greener fuels and increase its exports. Around the world, he said, the countries mostly avoid exporting the raw materials through which ethanol can be gotten. He said the PEMA has discussed this issue with the officials of the departments concerned to increase duties on export of molasses. “A lot of raw material used to distil ethanol is exported, which should be done away with.” Mr. Kiyani said out of the total 18 distilleries 16 were functional, and demanded that the government provide all the distilleries with proper treatment plants for biological treatment of distillery waste water (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) as per the seasonal saturation level to make this industry environment-friendly. It is to be noted that in 2018, Pakistan exported a record 653,443 tonnes of ethanol worth $425 million, and in 2019, Pakistan was one of the top exporters of ethyl alcohol and other spirits (denatured) and the export volume stood at $55.4 million. Mr. Kiyani said distilleries in Pakistan either function as separate entities or are attached to sugar mills and produce three different grades of ethanol — anhydrous (which is 99.97% pure and used to be mixed with gasoline and as a solvent in varnishes); extra neutral alcohol (ENA) and industrial alcohol (B grade), with purity levels of ENA and industrial alcohol being 96.5% and 92%, respectively. Both ENA and industrial alcohol are mostly used to prepare spirits to be mixed in perfumery, to preserve biological specimens, to prepare food flavourings, tinctures, to produce many medicines, and as a disinfectant. It is also used as an oxygenate or octane enhancer (mostly in specially-designed alternative fuel vehicles). According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s data, Pakistan’s exports of ethyl alcohol were worth $141 million during the fiscal year 2020-21. Pakistan can earn higher foreign exchange by exporting ethanol only by a little value addition in molasses. According to the central bank’s current data, Pakistan exported molasses (without any value addition) extracted from sugarcane worth $280 million during the fiscal year 2020-21 to Afghanistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Pakistan can produce greenhouse-friendly biofuels from the large quantities of agricultural waste that can be found throughout the year. It is to be recalled here that Pakistan State Oil had introduced ethanol-based first environment-friendly fuel in 2009 named as E10. It was estimated then that it will not only help reduce the import bill of petrol but also provide motorists with an economical fuel option. Ethanol is environment-friendly due to its less emission of greenhouse gases. It is less pollutant to drinking water as well. Ethanol can be produced from both synthetic and natural methods. Currently, ethanol production in Pakistan is mostly dependent upon sugarcane molasses. So, farmers should be made aware of the importance of getting ethanol from other waste materials like bagasse, straw, paper, cardboard, and wood; cellulose-containing plants like hemp, giant reed, eucalyptus, miscanthus (silver-grass) and sugar containing materials known as saccharides like sweet sorghum bagasse, corn, beat root, banana, mango, watermelon, etc. The waste of such sugar feedstock is fermented by using multiple microorganisms to produce multiple grades of ethanol. Some of the crop sources are shown in the following diagram.