- The phased roll-out of E20 (20 percent ethanol blending in gasoline) will begin on April 1, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said.
- The fuel will be available at select outlets and will not require changes to car engines, officials told Business Standard.
- The proposed roll-out will give further impetus to the government’s plans of achieving the level of 20 percent ethanol blending in the overall petrol supply in the country by ethanol supply year (ESY) 2025-2026.
- The deadline for achieving this had been brought forward from 2030 as the supply of raw ethanol has grown at a fast clip.
- India has increased the ethanol blending in petrol from 1.53 percent in 2013-14 to 10.17 percent in 2022.
- To achieve the target of 20 percent blending by 2025, the country needs 10.2 to 11 billion liters of ethanol. India is on track to account for 25 percent of global ethanol demand by 2040.
- India has been able to deal with the world’s worst energy crisis since the 1973 oil crisis.
- For this, he expressed his gratitude for completing the four-pronged energy security strategy – diversification of energy supply, increasing India’s reach in the field of exploration and production, gas-based economy, green hydrogen, and energy conversion through EV (Electronic Vehicle).
- Union Minister pointed out that India has added new suppliers like Colombia, Russia, Libya, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, etc.
- while strengthening its relations with countries like US and Russia. With this, the number of crude oil suppliers in India increased from 27 countries in 2006-07 to 39 in 2021- 22.
Under E20 Petrol, 20% ethanol will be mixed in petrol from April 1, 2023
