Ethanol Blending Stays at 20%, Says Minister Hardeep Puri

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that the government does not currently intend to go beyond the 20 per cent ethanol blending limit in petrol.

The minister was speaking in Betul, South Goa, during the inauguration of the 29th Energy Technology and Innovation Conference. During the interaction, he also said misleading information about biofuels was being circulated intentionally.

In response to a question, Puri said the target for ethanol blending in petrol was 20 per cent, and there were currently no plans to exceed that figure.

Energy import reduction at the core

The government's ethanol programme seeks to cut the country's dependence on imported crude oil. Puri said imported crude remains a key contributor to the current account deficit. Fuel with 20 per cent ethanol, known as E20, has already been rolled out.

Puri argued that E20 is suitable for vehicles currently in use. He also noted that certain older vehicles, specifically those manufactured before 2003, had encountered some difficulties.

Financial gains and benefits to farmers

The minister said the rollout of E20 petrol has resulted in savings of Rs 1.60 lakh crore for the country. Of that, Rs 1.40 lakh crore has reached farmers. He remarked that farmers have evolved from being providers of food to becoming providers of energy.

Concerns raised by users

Asked about complaints from E20 users, Puri said there were logistical problems in transporting the blended fuel. He explained that tankers used for this purpose were also used to carry other products.

On allegations of engine failure, he stated that an individual had made such a claim, and the relevant vehicle manufacturer had filed a case against that person.

Puri called the misinformation campaign around E20 a made-up story. He pointed out that roughly six crore vehicles arrive at petrol stations every day, and said that if engines were failing, broken-down vehicles would be visible everywhere.

Notification on flex-fuel vehicles

On Monday, the road transport ministry notified changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The changes permit flex-fuel vehicles that can operate on fuel with up to roughly 100 per cent ethanol, known as E100.