“India is ready from the supply side to launch E20; this target was advanced by 5 years from 2030 under the ethanol production goal of 1000 crore litres to April 2023”, underlined Hardeep S. Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs to the auto industry. However, he said that there is a need to massively upscale the production of flex-fuel engine vehicles in the country.
The Minister was addressing the gathering at the Plenary Session on “A giant leap for biofuels – Ethanol blending & SATAT Scheme” at SIAM’s International Conference on Biofuels – A Pathway Towards Sustainable Future. Several dignitaries including Mr Andre Aranha Correa Do Lago, Ambassador of Brazil to India and representatives from energy and auto industry were present at the event.
Further elaborating on the upscaling of flex-fuel engine vehicles in the country, Shri Hardeep S. Puri observed that more options need to be created at various price points, including 2-wheelers and 3-wheelers, and we need them quickly. He said that there are projected timelines for the roll-out of such flex-fuel E10 and E20-compatible vehicles, but there is a pressing need to advance those timelines.
The Minister assured the automobile manufacturers that as the world’s fastest-growing and most robust major economy, there will be guaranteed consumer demand for flex-fuel and E20-compatible vehicles. The Govt. of India, as has been reiterated, will provide comprehensive support from the supply, policy, and demand side for making the sale of flex-fuel E10 and E20 vehicles a viable business proposition for the auto industry, he said.
