New Delhi, Jan 15: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Wednesday that India is set to meet its goal of 20 percent ethanol blending within the next two months.
The initiative to blend ethanol with petrol started in 2001 as a pilot program.
“We will achieve the target of 20 percent ethanol blending in the coming months. The use of E20 (petrol mixed with 20 percent ethanol) will significantly reduce pollution,” Gadkari remarked during an event.
Gadkari, who serves as the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, mentioned that major car manufacturers including Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai Motors have begun producing vehicles that operate on 100 percent bio-ethanol.
He highlighted the urgent issue of pollution in India, stating that 42 of the country’s cities rank among the 50 most polluted globally.
“We spend Rs 22 lakh crore on fossil fuel imports, which also contributes to pollution,” he added.
In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced higher blends of 20 percent ethanol in petrol.
The first phase of this initiative included 15 cities.
The incorporation of ethanol, derived from sugarcane, broken rice, and other agricultural products, will assist India—recognized as the world’s third-largest oil consumer—in decreasing its dependence on foreign oil imports.
Currently, India relies on imports for approximately 85 percent of its oil requirements.
Transitioning to E20 is projected to reduce carbon monoxide emissions by around 50 percent in two-wheelers and about 30 percent in four-wheelers compared to E0 (pure petrol).
The objective of achieving an average blending rate of 10 percent was reached in June 2022, well before the scheduled target of November 2022.
Automobile engines may require minor modifications for corrosion resistance to run efficiently on E20. (PTI)
