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New Delhi: Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday expressed confidence of meeting the target of supplying petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol by 2025, five years ahead of the earlier planned roll-out in 2030. 20 percent adulteration in petrol Ethanol was introduced at select petrol pumps in 11 states and union territories in February as part of a program to increase use of the biofuel to cut emissions as well as dependence on foreign exchange-draining imports.
Currently, 10 percent ethanol is mixed in petrol (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent petrol) and the government is looking to double this amount by 2025.
“I am sure we will be able to supply 20 per cent ethanol blended petrol by the next (financial) year,” he said.
He said India saved Rs 41,500 crore in foreign exchange outlay with 10 per cent blending, besides benefitting farmers. Biofuels Conference here.
Puri said India achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by June 2022, five months ahead of schedule.
“We brought forward the availability of E20 blended petrol to 2025, five years earlier than previously planned in 2030,” he added.
The use of ethanol extracted from sugarcane as well as broken rice and other agricultural products will help the world’s third-biggest oil consumer and importer reduce its dependence on foreign shipments. India is currently dependent on 85 per cent imports to meet its oil requirements. Plus, it cuts down on carbon emissions.
Compared to E0 (clean petrol), the use of E20 is estimated to reduce carbon monoxide emissions by about 50 percent in two-wheelers and about 30 percent in four-wheelers. An estimated 20 per cent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions is expected in both two-wheelers and passenger cars.
India spent USD 120.7 billion on crude oil imports in the financial year 2021-22 (April 2021 to March 2022). It spent USD 211.6 billion on crude oil imports during the first 11 months of FY 2022-23.
During the supply year ending November 30, 2022, 440 crore liters of ethanol was added to petrol. For the next year, a target has been fixed for procurement of 540 crore liters of ethanol to start blending in large quantities.
The target of achieving average 10 per cent blending was achieved in June, 2022, much ahead of the target date of November, 2022. Buoyed by the success, the government extended the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol from 2030 to 2025. ,
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