Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Haryana’s Karnal district on Tuesday, said that India would be able to achieve the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by the next two years.
Shah made the announcement after inaugurating various projects of the Haryana Cooperative Department at an event organized at the Haryana Cooperative Export House (HAFED), which includes a Rs 150-crore ethanol project for setting up plants in cooperative sugar mills, aimed at To produce 9,000 liters of ethanol per day. ,
India to produce 9,000 liters of ethanol per day
Speaking at an event organized at the Haryana Cooperative Export House (HAFED), Shah said the main objective of the government was to ensure production of 9,000 liters of ethanol per day. Significantly, the Union Minister made these claims after inaugurating various projects of the Haryana Cooperative Department, including a Rs 150-crore ethanol project for setting up plants in cooperative sugar mills.
He said, “How the ethanol project being started by the Haryana government will increase the income of cooperative sugar mills.”
According to Shah, if the government is able to achieve the target, it will reduce the oil import cost by around 20 per cent, which will eventually reduce the burden on the government.
Congress reduced capacity
Taking a dig at the earlier regime, Shah said that the Congress-led UPA government had underestimated the use of biotechnology despite knowing the fact that it would help the country’s economy.
“When the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, the blending of ethanol in petrol and diesel was less than one per cent. Today, we have crossed 10 per cent. By 2025, the Narendra Modi government will be able to achieve the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol,” he said.
What is ethanol?
According to the US Department of Energy, ethanol is a renewable, domestically produced transportation fuel. whether used in low-level blends, such as E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), E15 (10.5% to 15% ethanol), or E85 (flex fuel) – a gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51% to 83 % ethanol varies depending on geography and season—helps reduce ethanol emissions. According to the US Department of Energy, like any alternative fuel, there are many considerations involved in the use of ethanol.
Shah’s announcement comes after the petroleum ministry in October last year extended the deadline for blending 20 per cent ethanol in gasoline by five years to 2025, when 1,000 core liters of ethanol production capacity is achieved to meet the desired 20 per cent ethanol blending. Has not been done. in petrol.
In October last year, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri had said that 450 crore liters of ethanol is being produced and tenders have been issued for 400 crore liters and the government is continuously reviewing ethanol production.
(with inputs from agencies)