Page 2 - Ethanol Blending Programme

Will achieve 20% ethanol blending by April, aiming to go beyond that: Puri

India is looking at increasing its target to blend ethanol with petrol to more than 20 per cent and has formed a committee under the NITI Aayog for this, Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri said on Wednesday. Addressing the Advantage Assam 2.0 business summit in Guwahati, he said 19.6 per cent blending has already been achieved. "We will be looking at more than 20 per cent blending of biofuel. Already a NITI Aayog group has been set up and they are looking into it," he said. "We had set a target of 20 per cent blending by 2026, but already achieved 19.6 per cent. I am sure we will touch 20 per cent next month," he added. Puri said that the country has a capacity of 1,700 crore litre of blending, and already 1,500 crore litre are being utilised. With India spending USD 150 billion on different types of fuel imports, he said that one area where the attention is lacking is green hydrogen. "The green hydrogen price is presently USD 4.5. If you can bring it closer to USD 2.5, there will

India to achieve 20% ethanol blending target in 2 months: Gadkari

India will achieve its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in the next two months, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. The practice of blending ethanol with petrol began in 2001 as a pilot project. "We will achieve this target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in the next two months. Use of E20 (petrol with 20 per cent ethanol) will help in reducing pollution," Gadkari said while speaking at an event. The road transport and highways minister said Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai Motors have started manufacturing vehicles that run on 100 per cent bio-ethanol. Gadkari said pollution is a serious problem in the country as 42 Indian cities are among 50 most-polluted cities in the world. "We import fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is also causing pollution," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the higher 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in 2023. In the first phase, 15 cities was covered. Use of ethanol, extracted fr

Centre grants approval for 47 ethanol projects in Bihar for loan subsidies

A total of 47 projects from Bihar have been issued in-principle approvals for interest subvention on bank loans for establishing new or expanding existing distilleries, the government said on Wednesday. Currently, 22 ethanol distilleries - 8 molasses-based and 14 grain-based - are operational in Bihar, Minister of State for Food Nimuben Jayatibhai Bambhaniya said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The government is implementing the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme nationwide, with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) selling petrol blended with ethanol. Under the programme, the government has set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol by 2025-26. To boost ethanol production capacity and meet blending targets, the Centre has introduced various Ethanol Interest Subvention Schemes from 2018 to 2022. Under these schemes, 47 projects from Bihar have received in-principle approvals, she said. For each Ethanol Supply Year (ESY), OMCs invite bids from distilleries for etha

Sugarcane set to reclaim dominance as ethanol feedstock next year: Industry

Industry experts anticipate a shift back to sugarcane-based molasses as the primary feedstock for ethanol production next year, driven by expected surplus sugar supplies and calls to lift restrictions

Govt mulls ethanol price hike for 2024-25 season to increase production

The government is considering a proposal to increase ethanol prices for the season starting November 2024, while also pushing for diversification of feedstocks, as it aims to achieve the 20 per cent blending target by 2025-26, sources said. A committee headed by a joint secretary from the petroleum ministry has already held one round of discussions on the proposal. The revision of ethanol prices will be based on the fair and remunerative price of sugarcane, they added. "The price revision is being considered on priority to incentivize production and meet our blending goals," a source said, requesting anonymity. Last week, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah called for a multi-dimensional approach to biofuel manufacturing and affirmed that India would achieve its 20 per cent ethanol blending target by 2025-26, ahead of the original 2030 deadline. Ethanol prices, fixed by the government, have remained unchanged since the 2022-23 season (November-October). Currently, ethanol produced from

Amit Shah urges sugar mills to diversify ethanol, biofuel production

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday called on sugar mills to explore alternatives to sugarcane for ethanol production, pushing for a multi-dimensional approach to biofuel manufacturing. Speaking at an event organized by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), Shah said India would achieve its 20 per cent ethanol blending target by 2025-26, ahead of the original 2030 deadline. The minister highlighted that the government's ethanol blending programme has helped reduce the country's crude oil import bill and address environmental concerns. "You need to be futuristic and look at opportunities and expand. Ethanol can be made from multiple sources," Shah said, urging cooperative sugar mills to shed their "orthodox" approach and explore alternative feedstocks such as maize and bamboo. Shah said about 1,000 crore litres of ethanol is required for blending, and the necessary infrastructure to achieve this target is in place. He emphasised the need for sugar m

Govt to retain curbs on sugar exports to ensure adequate domestic supplies

The government wants to make sure there's enough sugar for the local market at reasonable prices, and on using more cane to produce ethanol

No plan to mandate blending of ethanol with diesel: Hardeep Singh Puri

The government on Monday said the blending of ethanol with diesel is still at an experimental stage, and there is no plan, at present, to mandate it, as initial tests showed the formation of deposits in fuel tanks and other implications. Replying to a supplementary question in the Rajya Sabha on whether the Centre plans to mandate the blending of ethanol with diesel, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said, "The issue of blending ethanol with diesel is still at an experimental stage, and I can say categorically that at present there is no plan to mandate". Elaborating further, the minister said the reason is that oil marketing companies have tested up to 7 per cent of ethanol in diesel in collaboration with the Automotive Research Association of India and select original equipment manufacturers. "The initial tests have shown that there would be a reduction of flashpoint to 15 degrees Celsius with a 5 per cent ethanol blend and we require material compatibility

Sugarcane-ethanol policy: Solution will be found after April, says Gadkari

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday assured sugar mill owners that a solution to their problems owing to the government's policy on the use of sugar for ethanol production will be found after April, and they should not worry. India will one day become an exporter of energy and there was a need to develop agriculture for this to happen, he said, speaking at the International Sugarcane Conference organized by the Vasantdada Sugar Institute here. The institute is headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The Union government last year banned the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol, but later reversed the decision by allowing the use of sugarcane juice as well as B-heavy molasses to produce the green fuel but capped the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes. Gadkari said the sugar industry should give more importance to ethanol production. "Maximum ethanol, minimum sugar. With ethanol, we need to promote flex engine vehicles and at the same time, the government will take ...

Sugar companies, govt eye truce on ethanol ban from sugarcane juice

No rollback of December 7 order; firms call for one-time waiver

Industry wants GST relaxation, fuel-price guarantee for flex-fuel vehicles

The industry has sought 5 per cent GST on flex-fuel two-wheelers and a price guarantee on fuel for flex-fuel vehicles

Royal Enfield starts delivery of E20 compatible Hunter bikes; an overview

Compared to the Bullet and the Meteor, which appear more substantial in their stance, the Hunter packs a more deceptive look and may not come across as having the same engine as the former two

Govt gives in-principle approval to nine ethanol blending projects

These projects are expected to add to the additional capacity of about 35 crore litres

Centre holds review meeting on 12% ethanol blending with petrol for 2022-23

'Ethanol industry showed confidence to supply sufficient ethanol to meet the targets'

Govt's ethanol blending programme faces supply and pricing problem

The government's ambitious aim to double the blending target could face challenges from two of the three sources: Grain-based and biomass-based

India achieves 10% ethanol blending target in petrol ahead of schedule: PM

Prime Minister Modi was speaking at a programme on 'Save Soil Movement' at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi

Cabinet amends biofuels policy, advances ethanol blending target to 2025-26

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved advancing the target of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol by 5 years to 2025-26 as well as allowing more feedstocks for the production of biofuels

Govt approves ethanol price hike by up to Rs 1.47/ltr for mixing in petrol

The government on Wednesday hiked the price of ethanol extracted from sugarcane for blending in petrol by up to Rs 1.47 per litre for 2021-22 marketing year starting December

Ethanol blending on track but grain-based distillation could be a challenge

Less than 15% of total ethanol supply in the market is currently from grain-based distilleries

India's sugar production may decline to 30.5 million tonne next season

It is likely to decline as more sugarcane will be diverted for ethanol making, a senior government official said on Monday.