India encourages pine needle collection for biofuels

In India, the government’s Forest Department is encouraging entrepreneurs to set up pine needle-based industrial units for biofuel pellets, composite boards, paper making, briquettes and other uses, and will help supply the raw material in order to encourage large-scale removal of pine needles which has been causing forest fire issues. The government hopes it will also help employ locals with the new initiative which includes a subsidy to cover 50% of the capital cost for establishing such units.

According to Tribune India, the initiative was stated by Ajay Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) at a meeting with officials and entrepreneurs, and that cement units would use 1% of the biofuel in their boilers.

Category: Fuels