National Sahara | Ethanol blending in petrol to increase to 10.17 per cent by 2022: Petroleum Minister

Jan 13,2023

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the 'Ethanol Pavilion' at the Auto Expo here and said ethanol blending in petrol was raised to 10.17 per cent in 2022.

Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Kirloskar Motor, TVS, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, Honda Motorcycle, Yamaha and Suzuki Motorcycle are showcasing their working prototypes of flex-fuel vehicles that can take a range of ethanol blends varying from 20-85 per cent. Can

An MoU was also signed between the US Grain Council and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers for a clean energy partnership.

During the symposium at the motor show, Puri said that ethanol blending in petrol has been increased from 1.53 per cent in 2013-14 to 10.17 per cent in 2022, much ahead of the November 2022 deadline, and 2030 to 2025-26. Pursuant to its target of achieving 20 per cent ethanol blending.

Puri said, “This has not only resulted in enhanced energy security of the country but has resulted in foreign exchange savings of over Rs 41,500 crore, reduction in GHG emissions of 27 lakh metric tonnes and financial assistance of over Rs 40,600 crore to farmers. Farmers have benefited with prompt payment."

Puri further said, “We have reduced the amount of security deposit from 5 per cent to 1 per cent, giving a benefit of about Rs 400 crore to ethanol suppliers for ease of doing business. Also, we have reduced GST on bio-fuel to 18 per cent. has been reduced to 5 per cent.

The Union Minister said, “The government is also setting up five 2G ethanol bio-refineries in the country at Panipat (Parali) in Haryana, Bathinda in Punjab, Bargarh (Parali) in Odisha, Numaligarh (Bamboo) in Assam and Devanagere in Karnataka. "

Puri said, “We have a target to install alternative fuel stations (EV charging) at 22,000 retail outlets by May 2024. We are also launching a global alliance on biofuels with the US and Brazil during India's presidency of the G20. Huh."

The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas further said that the government is investing Rs 19,744 crore in the National Green Hydrogen Mission to develop green hydrogen production capacity of 5 MMT (million metric tonnes) per annum.

Puri invited the stakeholders to participate in the India Energy Week (IEW) to be held from February 6 to 8 at Bengaluru International Exhibition Center (BIEC), Bengaluru.