- PM launched 20 percent ethanol blended petrol at the India Energy Week (IEW) 2023.
- E20 is a biofuel called ethanol, produced spontaneously when sugar is fermented, mostly produced by extracting sugar from sugarcane.
- In the first phase, 15 cities will be covered and in the next two years it will be expanded throughout the country.
- India saved as much as ₹53,894 crore in forex outgo from 10 per cent blending besides benefiting the farmers.
- E-20 will be available at 84 petrol pumps of three State-owned fuel retailers in 11 States/UTs.
Petrol doped with 20 per cent ethanol was rolled out on Monday at select petrol pumps in 11 states and union territories as part of a programme to increase use of biofuels to cut emissions as well as dependence on foreign exchange-draining imports.
At present, 10 percent ethanol is blended in petrol (10 percent ethanol, 90 per cent petrol) and the government is looking to double this quantity by 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the higher 20 per cent ethanol blended petrol two months ahead of the planned rollout in April, at the India Energy Week (IEW) 2023 in Delhi. “We have increased ethanol blending in petrol from 1.5 per cent (in 2014) to 10 per cent and are now progressing towards 20 per cent blending,” Modi said.
A biofuel called ethanol, also known as C2H5OH, is produced spontaneously when sugar is fermented. It is mostly produced by extracting sugar from sugarcane, although other organic materials, such as cereal grains, can also be used to make it.
India has started the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) initiative to blend this biofuel with gasoline to cut back on the usage of fossil fuels as part of its pledges to reduce carbon emissions, a report by Times of India said. The government previously declared that the E10 objective has been met, meaning that 10% of the country’s gasoline now contains ethanol.
In the first phase, 15 cities will be covered and in the next two years it will be expanded throughout the country. India saved as much as ₹53,894 crore in forex outgo from 10 per cent blending besides benefiting the farmers. E-20 will be available at 84 petrol pumps of three State-owned fuel retailers in 11 States/UTs.
Use of ethanol, extracted from sugarcane as well as broken rice and other agri produce, will help the world’s third largest oil consumer and importing country cut its reliance on overseas shipments. India currently is 85 per cent dependent on imports for meeting its oil needs. Also, it cuts carbon emissions.
Use of E20 leads to an estimated reduction of carbon monoxide emissions by about 50 per cent in two-wheelers and about 30 per cent in four-wheelers compared to E0 (neat petrol). Hydrocarbon emissions are estimated to reduce by 20 percent in both two-wheelers and passenger cars. Automobile engines can run on E-20 with minor modifications in engine for corrosion etc
The programme gives sugarcane farmers an additional source of income. During the last eight years, ethanol suppliers have earned ₹81,796 crore while farmers have got ₹49,078 crore. The country saved Rs 53,894 crore in foreign exchange outgo. Also, it led to reduction of 318 lakh tonnes of carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions.
