PM Modi rolls out 20% ethanol-blended petrol ahead of its planned rollout in April
As part of a programme to increase use of biofuels and cut emissions as well as dependence on foreign exchange-draining imports, petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol was rolled out on Monday at select petrol pumps in 11 states and union territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the higher 20% ethanol-blended petrol two months ahead of the planned rollout in April.
At present, only 10 per cent ethanol is blended in petrol (10 per cent ethanol, 90 per cent petrol) and the government is looking to double this quantity by 2025.
"We have increased ethanol blending in petrol from 1.5 per cent (in 2014) to 10 per cent and are now progressing towards 20 per cent blending," PM Modi said.
15 cities will be covered in the first phase and in the next two years it will be expanded throughout the country.
India saved as much as ₹53,894 crore in forex outgo from 10 per cent blending besides benefiting farmers. E-20 (petrol with 20 per cent ethanol) will be available at 84 petrol pumps of three State-owned fuel retailers in 11 States/UTs.
According to Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, India achieved blending of 10 per cent ethanol in petrol, 5 months in advance during June 2022.
"We also advanced the availability of E20 blended petrol to 2025, 5 years from earlier planned in 2030," he said. He added that E20 is now being rolled out ahead of schedule on a pilot basis.
"As a country on a fast trajectory of economic growth, India is projected to witness the largest increase in energy demand of any country over the next two decades, accounting for close to 28 per cent of incremental global growth in energy demand," he said.
Ethanol is extracted from sugarcane as well as broken rice and other agri produce. This will help the world's third largest oil consumer and importing country cut its reliance on overseas shipments while also cutting carbon emissions.
India currently is 85 per cent dependent on imports for meeting its oil needs.
Use of E20 leads to an estimated reduction of carbon monoxide emissions by about 50 per cent in two-wheelers and about 30 per cent in four-wheelers compared to E0 (neat petrol). Hydrocarbon emissions are estimated to reduce by 20 per cent in both two-wheelers and passenger cars.
India spent USD 120.7 billion on import of crude oil in 2021-22 fiscal (April 2021 to March 2022). In the current fiscal, USD 125 billion have been spent on oil imports in the first nine months (April 2022 to December 2022) alone.
As much as 440 crore litre of ethanol was blended in petrol during the supply year ending November 30, 2022. For the next year, 540 crore litres procurement is being targeted with an eye to start larger volumes of blending.
The programme also gives sugarcane farmers an additional source of income. During the last eight years, ethanol suppliers have earned ₹81,796 crore while farmers have got ₹49,078 crore. The country saved Rs 53,894 crore in foreign exchange outgo. Also, it led to reduction of 318 lakh tonnes of carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions.
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