New Delhi: In a strategic advance towards cleaner fuel alternatives, India commenced the sale of ETHANOL 100 across 183 Indian Oil outlets in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu.
Union minister for petroleum & natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri, flagged off the highoctane, eco-friendly fuel, with the government eyeing a 20% ethanol-petrol blend by 2025-26.
Following the Prime Minister’s push for a blend of 20% ethanol in petrol by 2025-26, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) have scaled up the distribution of E20 to 12,000 outlets within a year. These initiatives have reportedly saved Rs 85,000 crore in foreign exchange and reduced CO2 emissions significantly, equating to the effect of planting 1.75 crore trees
over the past decade.
At the launch event, the minister said, “ETHANOL 100 fuel has the potential to transform our transportation sector and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels,” reflecting the government’s strategy to bolster the agriculture sector and cut import reliance.
With OMCs cementing long-term off-take agreements with 131 dedicated ethanol plants, an additional 745 crore liters of annual production capacity is anticipated.
Investment in storage and infrastructure to support increased blending is also underway. On the occasion, Pankaj Jain, Secretary MoPNG, said, “The consistent supply of ethanol, supported by our robust industry, allays availability concerns. This initiative also affirms our commitment to decarbonization.”
Indian Oil Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, underscored the significance of India being among the few countries to offer ETHANOL 100, which is compatible with a range of vehicles, including flex-fuel vehicles
