At the inaugural session of the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024 (IBETE), Hardeep Singh Puri, the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, presented a detailed account of India’s progress in the bioenergy sector and its critical role in the country’s energy transformation. Minister Puri emphasized that bioenergy is increasingly becoming a crucial alternative to fossil fuels, offering both environmental benefits and economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas.
In his address, Minister Puri elaborated on the Indian government’s strategic efforts to advance the bioenergy sector, highlighting its significance in reducing import dependence, saving foreign exchange, and promoting a circular economy. The government’s strategy encompasses several vital areas, including ethanol and biodiesel blending, Compressed Biogas (CBG), Sustainable Aviation Fuels, biomass utilization (such as pellets and briquettes), Biohydrogen, and waste-to-energy solutions.
One of the standout achievements discussed by Puri was the success of India’s ethanol blending program. Since its inception, the ethanol blending percentage has surged from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024. Encouraged by this progress, 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.
Minister 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.
A major milestone in ethanol fuel expansion was highlighted by Petroleum Minister with the successful launch of E100 fuel at over 400 retail outlets across the country.
Minister Puri urged Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways Transport Minister Gadkari, to encourage automobile manufacturers to produce vehicles compatible with E100 fuel. He addressed common misconceptions about ethanol blending, clarifying that blending ethanol with petrol not only improves engine performance by increasing the octane number but also enhances engine efficiency. Contrary to some concerns, ethanol’s presence in fuel helps prevent pre-ignition knock and improves overall engine operation.
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.
(Source: PIB)
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