Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has said that the entire country will have petrol pumps selling 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol, E20 petrol, by 2025. Referring to the outstanding journey of ethanol blending in the country, he said that in case of ethanol blending in petrol and diesel, the government had set a target of 20 percent blending by 2030, but it has been advanced by five years to 2025.
In his address at UN Global Compact Network India’s (UNGCNI’s) 18th National Convention, he also said that India is the most populous nation in the world, has the fifth-largest and fastest-growing economy, and is fast becoming the most preferred investment destination. “Outcomes in India will determine the outcomes of the world.”, he noted.
The Minister said that the first E20 outlet was opened on February 8 this year, ahead of the targeted April launch. As of now the number has crossed 600 and will cover the entire country by 2025. The 10 percent ethanol blending in petrol target was achieved in June 2022, much ahead of its target, Puri added. He also said that the country has diversified the import basket from 27 countries in 2006-07 to 39 in 2023, with the increasing sourcing of crude from Russia and other non-Gulf markets.
The Minister also mentioned the efforts of the Government towards building an enabling ecosystem for emerging technologies such as battery energy storage systems, green hydrogen electrolyzers, e-mobility, and waste-to-energy through manufacturing incentives and innovative financing policies.