PM Modi launched E20 or Petrol blended with 20% Ethanol in 11 States and UTs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out E20 or petrol blended with 20% ethanol on Monday, February 6 in Bengaluru.

The E-20 (petrol with 20 per cent ethanol) will be available at 84 petrol pumps of three State-owned fuel retailers 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.

Currently, 10% ethanol has been blended with petrol i.e., 10% ethanol and 90% petrol.

According to reports, the government is planning to double this by 2025.

The launch was done months ahead of the planned rollout in April, at the India Energy Week (IEW) 2023 in Bengaluru.

"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," PM Modi said.

Reportedly, 15 cities will be covered in the first phase of the roll out and will be expanded throughout the country in the next two years.

In addition to benefit the farmers, India saved as much as Rs 53,894 crore in foreign exchange from 10 per cent blending.

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said India's E20 target advanced to 2025, 5 years from earlier planned in 2030 just like how India achieved blending of 10 per cent ethanol in petrol, 5 months earlier during June'2022.

"As a country on a fast trajectory of economic growth, India is projected to witness the largest increase in energy demand of any country over the next two decades, accounting for close to 28 per cent of incremental global growth in energy demand," he said.

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.

Currently, India is 85 per cent dependent on imports for meeting its oil needs. Also, it cuts carbon emissions.

The use of E20 will help in the 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 per cent in both two-wheelers and passenger cars.

The programme will further give an additional source of income for the sugarcane farmers. According to reports, during the last eight years, ethanol suppliers have earned Rs 81,796 crore while farmers have got Rs 49,078 crore. The country saved Rs 53,894 crore in foreign exchange outgo. And apart from these, the use of ethanol has helped in the reduction of 318 lakh tonnes of carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Source- The Hindu