New Delhi, April 21 Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said India should aim to achieve 100 per cent ethanol blending for use as auto fuel in the near future, to cut dependence on imported oil, which made the country vulnerable to disruption in energy supplies amid geopolitical uncertainties such as the Iran war.
The minister pointed out that India relies on imports to meet 87 per cent of its oil requirement.
"We import fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is also causing pollution, so we need to work on increasing production of alternative fuels and bio-fuels," Gadkari said in his address at the Indian Federation of Green Energy's Green Transport Conclave.
"In the near future, India should aspire to achieve 100 per cent ethanol blending. Today, we are facing an energy crisis due to the war in West Asia, so it is necessary for us to become self-reliant in the energy sector," he said.
In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol. Currently, Indian vehicles can run on E20 petrol with minor changes to the engine to prevent corrosion and other issues. Countries like Brazil have 100 per cent ethanol blending.
While highlighting the need to discourage the use of petrol and diesel vehicles, Gadkari said: "But we cannot force people to stop buying petrol and diesel vehicles.
On growing concern on social media about E20, Gadkari said the petroleum sector is lobbying against this move.
He asked automobile companies to focus on quality, not on cost, as it would help them penetrate new markets.
Gadkari also highlighted that green hydrogen is the fuel of the future, but there is a need to reduce the cost of running a hydrogen fuel station to make it financially viable.
"Transport of hydrogen fuel is a problem. Also, we need to produce 1 kg of hydrogen at $1 to make India an exporter of energy," the minister stressed.
He said that there is a need to produce hydrogen from waste.
He also pointed out that by focusing on the circular economy, India can create more employment opportunities.
The minister further stated that the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency III standards, which will be implemented from April 1 next year, will have little impact on electric and flex-fuel vehicles.
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