Petrol with 20% ethanol blend may be available from Dec or Jan, ahead of target
Ethanol-blended petrol is likely to be available in the country from December or January, ahead of the April 2023 target, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday, the availability of ethanol-blended petrol in the nation is likely to begin in December or January, well ahead of the April 2023 target.
"We are constantly reviewing the ethanol production and I believe, 20% blended fuel would come in the market in December or January ahead of April 2023 (target)," he told reporters.
He cited Brazil as an example, where consumers can choose between ethanol and petrol in flex-fuel vehicles. He claimed that this would be the government's ultimate objective.
However, there are some technical requirements and work is being done in order to get there."We are going to hold a major meeting with automobile manufacturers on ethanol blending," he said.
India has moved up the deadline for blending 20% ethanol into gasoline by five years, to 2025. The minister added that the nation would require a 1,000 core litre capacity to achieve the desired 20% ethanol blend in petrol.
He added that 450 crore litre is being produced and tenders for 400 crore litre have been issued. "We have more than enough ethanol for 20 per cent blending," he noted.
All petrol sold in the country is targeted to have 20 per cent ethanol by 2025.
What is the Ethanol Blending Program?
Ethanol is one of the principal bio-fuels, which is naturally produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration.
Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) is aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and boosting farmers’ incomes.
Ethanol blending in petrol in India has risen successively from 1.53% in 2013-14 to 5% in 2019-20 to 8.10% in 2020-21 and now to as much as 10.17 %. By January, 2023 ethanol blending is expected to reach a level of 20%.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Business NewsNewsIndiaPetrol with 20% ethanol blend may be available from Dec or Jan, ahead of target
First Published:14 Oct 2022, 05:56 PM IST
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