On Monday, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that India’s ethanol blending program has reached 15 percent in 2024, resulting in foreign exchange savings of Rs 99,014 crore over the past decade.
Speaking at the BioEnergy & Tech Expo, Puri highlighted that increasing use of ethanol in automotive fuels has allowed the country to substitute 17.3 mn metric tonnes of crude since 2014 that would otherwise have been imported. This shift has also led to a reduction of 51.9 million metric tonnes in carbon emissions over the past ten years. The figures are up to July 14, 2024.
The Centre has set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending by the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26. As per report, since 2014, oil marketing companies have paid a total of Rs 1.45 trillion to distillers, while farmers have received Rs 87,558 crore.
Puri also noted that E20 petrol, which contains 20 percent ethanol, is now available at over 15,600 outlets nationwide. Additionally, the government introduced E100 fuel in March, which consists of 93-93.5 percent ethanol mixed with 5 percent petrol and 1.5 percent co-solvent. With a high-octane rating of 100-105, E100 is promoted as ideal for high-performance engines, enhancing efficiency and power.
Puri emphasized that government policies have managed supply and price fluctuations for various ethanol feedstocks, providing price stability and reducing arrears for sugarcane farmers.
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