Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday laid emphasis on the importance of reducing the use of fossil fuels and decarbonization in different sectors, and further said that as part of government's efforts in this direction, the target of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol will likely be achieved in the coming two months.
The government has advanced its target for 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2025, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable energy, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Monday.
Dent Corn is a non-edible variety of corn used as a feedstock to produce bioethanol. All the bioethanol and animal protein produced in USA in over 200 biorefineries is from dent corn, which makes up 95 per cent of the corn grown (about 400 million ton/year) in the country.
Encouraged by this progress, the government has set an ambitious target of reaching 20 per cent blending by 2025 and is confidently progressing towards this goal, said Minister Puri at the inaugural session of the ‘India Bio-Energy and Tech Expo 2024’ (IBETE).
Highlighting the success of India’s ethanol blending programme, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said here on Monday that since its inception, the ethanol blending percentage has surged from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024.
Dr Gupta has said that inherent challenges to achieve this goal is mainly in terms of availability of feedstock to make ethanol.
India stands at a critical juncture in its quest for energy security and sustainable development. The country’s growing energy demands, coupled with concerns over environmental degradation and climate change, necessitate a transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
The burgeoning energy demand in our nation, propelled by its growing economy, currently witnesses approximately 98 per cent of the transportation sector’s fuel needs being fulfilled by fossil fuels, while the remaining 2 per cent is sourced from biofuels.
Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the decision was taken in the meeting of a Committee of Ministers.
Many oil companies have been investing in biofuels for decades, especially through research efforts and venture capital spending. In recent times, they have also entered into green hydrogen and have committed to huge investments. Much of this in current times is being driven by the need to remain relevant in a post energy transition scenario
