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Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced during the G20 Energy Ministerial meeting in Goa that India has commenced the rollout of 20% ethanol-blended petrol this year, with a goal to cover the entire nation by 2025.
This initiative is part of India's efforts to promote energy security, bridge technology gaps, and diversify supply chains. The country has already achieved significant milestones in providing LPG connections to millions of families and ensuring electricity access to every village.
PM Modi highlighted India's commitment to inclusive, resilient, equitable, and sustainable energy for all. The country launched a scheme for the use of LED lights in 2015, which has become the world's largest LED distribution program, saving more than 45 billion units of energy annually. India has made substantial progress in green growth and energy transition, despite being the most populous nation globally.
Setting Ambitious Targets
India's achievements in the renewable energy sector are commendable. The country surpassed its non-fossil, installed electric capacity target nine years ahead of schedule. India has set an even higher target to achieve 50% non-fossil installed capacity by 2030. PM Modi highlighted that India stands among the global leaders in solar and wind power, demonstrating the nation's commitment to combat climate change.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri shared that India has rapidly increased its ethanol blending in petrol. From a mere 1.53 percent in 2013-14, ethanol blending has surged to over 11.5 percent as of March 2023. In terms of volume, ethanol-blended petrol has significantly increased, rising from 38 crore liters in 2013-14 to 433.6 crore liters in 2021-22.
The Road to 100% E20 Petrol Stations
The central government has made significant strides in distributing E20 fuel, a blend of 20 percent ethanol with petrol. The first E20 outlet opened on schedule on February 8th, and the number of outlets has already exceeded 600. With growing confidence in the rapid rollout of these fuel stations, the government aims to have E20 petrol retail stations nationwide by 2025.