Several key government initiatives designed to enhance ethanol production and mitigate environmental impact: Hardeep Puri

New Delhi: Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri emphasized that bioenergy is increasingly becoming a crucial alternative to fossil fuels, offering both “environmental benefits and economic opportunities” particularly in rural areas.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024, Union Minister Puri said,” Biofuels is an important for reducing fossil fuel dependence and emissions, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future”.

He noted that Global Biofuels Alliance established during India’s G20 presidency, will serves as a collaborative platform to harness the $500 billion opportunity in biofuels and accelerate global adoption through technology transfer.

The Petroleum Minister Puri also outlined several key government initiatives designed to enhance ethanol production and mitigate environmental impact.

The Minister added that since its inception, the ethanol blending percentage has surged from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024. He further added that the government has set an ambitious target of reaching 20% blending by 2025 and is confidently progressing towards this goal.

“Over the past decade, this initiative has delivered significant benefits, including saving Rs. 99,014 crore in foreign exchange, reducing CO2 emissions by 519 lakh metric tons, and substituting 173 lakh metric tons of crude oil. Furthermore, the program has had a considerable economic impact, with Oil Marketing Companies disbursing Rs. 1,45,930 crore to distillers and Rs. 87,558 crore to farmers” the Minister noted.

Hardeep Singh Puri also highlighted the widespread availability of E20 fuel, which is now offered at over 15,600 retail outlets across India.

He commended the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana for its essential role in providing financial support to advanced biofuel projects, which is crucial for developing a sustainable ethanol production ecosystem.

Drawing from global practices, Puri cited Brazil’s successful use of high ethanol blends—up to 60-70% in vehicles—demonstrating the viability of high ethanol content.

He reassured that India is committed to scaling up E20 production and supporting the transition with measures to facilitate the use of transition fuels in older vehicles.