India Energy Week: 20% ethanol-blended petrol to debut within days, says Puri

New Delhi: After achieving the target to sell petrol mixed with 10 percent ethanol, India will in the next couple of days start experimental supplies of 20 percent biofuel mixed petrol, said Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday. Speaking at the 'Dance to Decarbonise' – the first public awareness event in the run-up to India Energy Week 2023, he said that India achieved 10 percent ethanol blended petrol (petrol 90 percent, ethanol 10 percent) in June, well ahead of the deadline of November.

E20 will come in select markets on a pilot basis in a day or two: Puri

"E20 (petrol mixed with 20 percent ethanol) will come in select markets on a pilot basis in a day or two," Puri said. Ethanol extracted from sugarcane as well as agri waste is being mixed with petrol to cut India's dependence on imported oil for meeting its energy needs. Also, ethanol has a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels, helping the nation meet its climate targets.

"We are targeting a phased roll-out of E20 in the entire country between now and April 2025," he said. This has resulted in not only augmenting the country's energy security but also translated into a forex savings of over Rs 41,500 crore, reduced GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions of 27 lakh tonnes and has benefitted farmers with expeditious payment of over Rs 40,600 crore being made to farmers in the last eight years.

'E20 will be rolled out in 11 states/UTs'

E20 is being rolled out in 11 states/UTs of Delhi, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Daman Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. "The initial target for E20 was April 1, 2023, but we have advanced it," he said.

Fifteen cities will be covered under phase 1.

India looks for more engagement with all nations in energy sector, including Russia: Puri

Puri nudged firms to install 10,000 more alternate fuel stations

Moving away from fossil fuel, state-owned firms plan to install alternate fuel stations (EV charging/ CNG/ LPG/ LNG/ compressed biogas) at 22,000 petrol pumps by May 2024. Puri nudged firms to add another 10,000 outlets to this.

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