India on Track to Achieve 20 Percent Ethanol Blending by 2025: Hardeep Singh Puri
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said that given the encouraging progress in the ethanol blending initiative, the government has advanced its 20 percent ethanol bending target to 2025 and the roadmap post the attainment of the target is already being developed at the 12th the CII Bioenergy Summit.
October 15, 2024. By Mrinmoy Dey
He further revealed that discussions have already started to develop a roadmap for the future, post the attainment of the 20 percent blending target. This roadmap will guide the country’s next steps in its pursuit of energy sustainability and self-reliance.
The Minister shared impressive outcomes of the ethanol program, revealing that from 2014 to August 2024, it has generated foreign exchange savings of INR 1.06 lakh crore, reduced CO2 emissions by 544 lakh metric tons, and achieved crude oil substitution of 181 lakh metric tons. Payments to distillers by OMCs have reached INR 1.50 lakh crore.
Furthermore, he said, farmers have been paid INR 90,059 crore. Additionally, he mentioned about the government's ambitious targets for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), aiming for one percent blending in 2027 and two percent in 2028, positioning India as a leader in bio-mobility.
Currently valued at USD 44 billion (as per Wood Mckenzie), the Minister said that the bioenergy market is projected to grow to USD 125 billion by 2050. If global net-zero targets are achieved, this figure could surge to USD 500 billion.
Underscoring India’s agricultural strength and its vast biomass potential as critical elements in the country’s transition to clean energy, Puri said that the country recognised as an agricultural powerhouse, is a leading producer of rice, wheat, cotton, sugar, and various horticultural and dairy products.
He said that the country has more than 750 million metric tonnes of available biomass, with about two-thirds being used for domestic purposes such as cattle feed and compost fertiliser. According to a report by PWC, he noted, 32 percent of India’s total primary energy consumption is derived from biomass, and over 70 percent of Indians rely on it for energy across the value chain.
He noted that the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts a growth potential of 3.5 to 5 times for biofuels by 2050 due to Net Zero targets, presenting a substantial opportunity for India. The Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) aims to facilitate knowledge sharing, technological advancement, and policy development, unlocking a USD 500 billion opportunity in biofuels and accelerating global adoption through technology transfer.
The Minister also referred to different incentives introduced by the government to support ethanol production. He also highlighted India’s collaboration with Brazil, emphasising the importance of joint efforts in sustainable bioenergy and biofuels to enhance energy security and reduce carbon emissions, particularly in hard-to-decarbonise sectors like aviation and shipping.
“The responsibility for fuelling India’s green growth extends beyond the government to include industry leaders, researchers, innovators, and citizens,” concluded Puri further urging all stakeholders to collaborate boldly to establish a sustainable bioenergy sector that meets energy needs and sets a global standard.
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