An alcoholic drink that is popular in a number of forms, including beer, cider, wine, spirits, and ale, is ethanol. Ethanol is a compound that has a variety of other uses in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as being a component in distilled and fermented beverages.

In terms of environmental impact, bioethanol production is an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels. Furthermore, bioethanol from sugarcane juice and maize starch is less expensive than fossil fuels. There is a critical need to find alternative energy sources to meet current energy demand since energy resources are depleting.

Potential of ethanol production globally;

For developing economies without fossil fuel reserves, reliance on petroleum-based transportation fuels is a key concern. The problem is especially acute in landlocked nations like Nepal. Landlocked countries, in reality, spend a significant portion of their GDP on importing fossil fuels from other countries. Taking these issues into consideration, considerable effort is being put into developing alternative energy.

Based on important crops such as corn, barley, oat, rice, wheat, sorghum, and sugar cane, the global production potential of bioethanol has been calculated. Lignocellulosic biomass, such as crop wastes and sugar cane bagasse, are bioethanol feedstock. Wasted crops, which are crops that are lost during distribution, are also considered feedstock. Around 73.9Tg of dry wasted crops exist around the world, with the capacity to produce 49.1GL/year of bioethanol.

These seven crops provide about 1.5Pg/year of dry lignocellulosic biomass that can be converted to bioethanol. Based onlignocellulosic biomass, bioethanol production can reach 442 GL/year.  Bioethanol could be produced from crop leftovers and lost crops at a rate of 491GL/year, about 16 times more than what is currently produced.

Rural and urban areas both can produce second-generation biofuels using readily available lignocellulosic biomass (as derived from lignocellulose). Approximately 1,000 giga-metric tons of lignocellulose are produced annually, making it the most abundant biomass on earth.

In areas where corn and sugarcane are not viable sources of ethanol production, sweet potatoes are considered as an alternative source.

This fuel can be used to produce bioplastics and to generate electricity by using ethanol fuel cells.

The demand for biofuels is shifting towards emerging economies, according to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2018-2027, which are fast implementing policies that benefit the local biofuels sector. Furthermore, market predictions indicate that developing countries will account for 84 per cent of total increased ethanol consumption.

Potential of ethanol production in India;

India has a 684 crore litre ethanol-producing capacity. To reach the country's goal of 20% ethanol in gasoline by 2030, it will need a capacity of 1,000 crore litres.

According to a high-ranking government official, India's ethanol production capacity could double by 2025. By 2025, the blending of ethanol with petrol (EBP) will enable the country to save more than 30,000 crores in foreign exchange, thus improving energy security.

The Indian ethanol market is expected to grow 14.50 per cent a year from 2.50 billion dollars in 2018 to 7.38 billion dollars by 2024 due to the increased consumption of ethanol for fuel additives and beverages.

A measure intended to make India less dependent on imported crude oil has been taken by Indian policymakers, encouraging sugar producers to produce ethanol for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). To meet the demand for its 20% Fuel Blending Program, ethanol output is expected to increase three to fivefold in the future (FBP).

The growing consumption of alcohol, changing lifestyles, and the increasing impact of western culture are likely to drive the growing demand for ethanol in India.

In the future, biomass and solid waste are predicted to be major sources of ethanol production.