Indian Oil Corp, the leading refiner in the country, is set to establish 300 ethanol fuel stations, according to the announcement made by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday.
Gadkari, speaking at the 3rd International Sugar Conference organized by Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) in Pune, mentioned, “My demand of opening of ethanol pumps is accepted by the petroleum minister. Indian Oil has taken a decision to start 300 ethanol pumps in the country.”
He also suggested the millers to start the ethanol pumps in the factory and give all motorcycles, scotters, cars on 100 per cent bioethanol to the concerning people, and consumption will be there.
The government is ambitious of attaining 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol by 2024-25 and 30 per cent by 2029-30. The government has advanced the target of E20 fuel from 2030 to 2025. E20 blending in petrol was introduced by the Centre to reduce the country’s oil import cost, energy security, lower carbon emissions and better air quality.
According to the government, the number of retail outlets retailing E20 fuel is now more than 9,300 and will cover the entire country by 2025.
Indian government is leaving no stone unturned to boost ethanol production.
Blending of ethanol into petrol has resulted in savings of over Rs 24,300 crore of foreign exchange in the supply year 2022-23. Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) have saved about 509 crore litres of petrol on account of ethanol blending during the ethanol supply year 2022-23, besides leading to an expeditious payment of about Rs 19,300 crore to farmers.
