Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri made a tweet praising India’s efforts in the field of bioenergy. The minister also highlighted that India is setting an example in building a sustainable bioenergy-driven future

“India is not only making significant strides in bioenergy but is also leading by example in building a sustainable bioenergy-driven future, turning waste into wealth, and advancing toward a greener future that benefits both its rural economy & the global environment”, stated his tweet on X.

India’s ethanol blending sees a sharp rise from 1.53 per cent in 2014 to 15 per cent in 2024, now India has set the target of 25 per cent blending by 2025. Government data also shows that ethanol blending has saved Rs 99,014 crore in foreign exchange and helped reduce CO2 emissions by 519 lakh MT.

Ethanol blending also substituted India’s 173 lakh MT of crude oil leading to lower dependency on crude oil import amid volatile geopolitical situations. The government also highlighted that ethanol blending also creates a big financial impact on farmers and Distillers; over Rs 1,45,930 crore was paid to distillers and Rs 87,558 crore to farmers, indicating growth in India’s ethanol sector.

Ethanol has about a third less energy per unit volume than petrol. A 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, offers about 6-7 per cent less fuel efficiency Also Ethanol production requires compatible and efficient vehicles that can run on ethanol-blended fuels or pure ethanol. This will require modifications or adaptations in the engine, fuel system, and emission control devices of the vehicles, as well as changes in the driving behaviour and maintenance practices of the drivers.