Dispelling misinformation and false narratives surrounding ethanol-blended fuel, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, on the occasion of “World Biofuel Day”, emphasised that there has not been a single case of engine failure or breakdown reported since E20 became a base fuel over the last 10 months.
Emphasising the far-reaching benefits of ethanol blending, particularly E20 Puri highlighted its transformative impact on the country’s energy landscape. Citing Brazil’s example, he said the country has run on E27 for years without any issues.
Some lobbies with vested interests are actively attempting to create confusion and derail India’s ethanol revolution. However, such efforts will not succeed. The E20 transition is already firmly underway, backed by strong policy support, industry readiness, and public acceptance — and there is no turning back.
Elaborating on the benefits of E20, the Minister said it results into reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, enhances engine performance, and has already led to over `1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange savings. He pointed out that 2G ethanol refineries in Panipat and Numaligarh are converting agricultural residues like parali and bamboo into ethanol, providing a win-win solution for clean fuel, pollution control, and farmer income. He further highlighted the remarkable growth of maize-based ethanol — from 0 per cent in 2021–22 to 42 per cent this year — calling it a transformational shift.
Responding to a question by The Pioneer printer and publisher Kushan Mitra, on the success of the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, Puri highlighted that ethanol blending gained serious momentum only after 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office. In 2014, ethanol blending was merely 1.53 per cent.
Puri said by 2022, India achieved 10 percent blending, five months ahead of schedule. The original target of 20 percent blending (E20) by 2030 was advanced to 2025 and has already been achieved in the current Ethanol Supply Year (ESY). This success, the Minister noted, was made possible through sustained policy reforms such as guaranteed pricing for ethanol, allowing multiple feedstocks, and rapidly expanding distillation capacity across the country.
On the issue of Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), Puri said that the Indian automobile industry has already demonstrated its capability.
Indian OEMs have begun rolling out prototypes for E85-compatible vehicles. Continuous consultations have been held with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and other major auto manufacturers, and the direction is clear — progressively moving towards higher ethanol blends.
“There has not been a single case of engine failure or breakdown since E20 became a base fuel 10 months ago. Look at Brazil — they’ve run on E27 for years without issues,” Puri stated.
The Minister said Ethanol Blending Roadmap (2020–25) has laid a strong foundation, and the successful rollout of E20 — five years ahead of target — demonstrates both industry readiness and consumer acceptance. The country will now gradually scale towards E25, E27, and E30 in a phased, calibrated manner with the support of BIS standards and fiscal incentives.
Puri stressed that ethanol blending is not just about mixing fuel — it is about empowering Annadatas by turning them into Urjadatas, reducing crude imports, saving foreign exchange, creating green jobs, and honouring India’s climate commitments. Over the past 11 years, ethanol procurement has enabled `1.21 lakh crore income to farmers, reduced crude imports by 238.68 lakh metric tons, and saved `1.40 lakh crore in foreign exchange.
Speaking about India’s efforts in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Puri said the Ministry is working closely with oil marketing companies, airlines, and global technology partners to develop and scale up SAF. Like ethanol, India will adopt a phased approach to SAF adoption. A blending mandate has already been initiated, with a target of one percent blending for international flights by 2027, increasing to 2 percent by 2028, and scaling further as supply stabilises. He also cited the example of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Refinery in Panipat, which is using used cooking oil to produce SAF — showcasing India’s innovative and sustainable pathway forward.
Further Puri said India already have 113 compressed biogas (CBG) plants operating and another 73 under construction. If you look at the car models coming onto the market, many new ones are CNG-compatible. So that's a success story.
Puri pointed to India's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution as another example of progress in energy access. Today, we are running against all statistics. We have 33.5 crore LPG connections in the country, including 10.5 crore under the Ujjwala Yojana, yet we still import about 60 per cent of our LPG.
While acknowledging the import dependency, Puri reaffirmed that the country is taking decisive steps to increase domestic production. Yes, our production is going up by 18 per cent per year, but even there we are still importing around 50 per cent, he said.
Minister Puri stressed on the country's commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India. A country like India, which has these challenges, is moving in the direction of self-sufficiency, but it's going to take time," he stated. "Meanwhile, we will import, we will increase our production, and we've already diversified our import sources."
India is the world's third-largest energy consumer with a demand of about 5.4 million barrels of oil per day. India today imports 80 per cent of its oil and 50 per cent of its natural gas needs. India is now importing oil and gas from as many countries as possible, about 40 countries now, to meet its demand.
As India races ahead in its energy transition journey, the Petroleum Minister’s message was clear: ethanol is here to stay, and the country is not just catching up with global standards—it is setting new ones. The Fireside Chat between Puri and Mitra was part of the larger Pioneer Biofuels 360 Summit, a platform that brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the future of sustainable fuels.
(Source : PNS & The Pioneer )
