India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024: Hardeep Singh Puri Highlights India's Bioenergy Advancements and Future Prospects

Minister Puri emphasized the importance of diversifying feedstocks for ethanol production to ensure security and avoid over-reliance on any single source.

At the inaugural session of the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024 (IBETE), Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, presented a comprehensive overview of India's significant strides in the bioenergy sector, emphasizing its pivotal role in the nation’s energy transformation. The Minister underlined bioenergy as an increasingly vital alternative to fossil fuels, offering both environmental benefits and economic opportunities, particularly for rural communities.

In his address, Minister Puri highlighted the Indian government's strategic efforts to advance the bioenergy sector, focusing on its importance in reducing import dependence, saving foreign exchange, and promoting a circular economy. Key areas of government focus include ethanol and biodiesel blending, Compressed Biogas (CBG), Sustainable Aviation Fuels, biomass utilization, Biohydrogen, and waste-to-energy solutions.

One of the key achievements shared by Shri Puri was the success of India's ethanol blending program, which has seen the ethanol blending percentage rise from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024. With an ambitious target of 20% blending by 2025, the program has already delivered significant benefits, including saving Rs. 99,014 crore in foreign exchange, reducing CO2 emissions by 519 lakh metric tons, and substituting 173 lakh metric tons of crude oil. The initiative has also had a substantial economic impact, with Oil Marketing Companies disbursing Rs. 1,45,930 crore to distillers and Rs. 87,558 crore to farmers.

Minister Puri also pointed out the widespread availability of E20 fuel, now offered at over 15,600 retail outlets across India. He praised the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana for its role in providing financial support to advanced biofuel projects, which are crucial for creating a sustainable ethanol production ecosystem.

Highlighting the government's initiatives to enhance ethanol production and mitigate environmental impacts, Shri Puri mentioned the establishment of two second-generation (2G) refineries in Panipat and Numaligarh. These refineries convert agricultural residues, such as Parali and bamboo, into ethanol, contributing to pollution reduction and energy security while transforming farmers into active contributors to the energy sector.

To support the ethanol industry further, the government has introduced various incentives, including Rs. 9.72 per litre for ethanol derived from maize, Rs. 8.46 per litre for ethanol from damaged rice, and Rs. 6.87 per litre for ethanol from C-heavy molasses. These incentives have significantly boosted maize’s contribution to ethanol production, increasing it to 36% in the 2023-24 Ethanol Supply Year from 0% in 2021-22. Additionally, the government has resumed the supply of FCI rice to ethanol distilleries and plans to start supplying sugarcane juice and syrup from November 2024.

Minister Puri emphasized the importance of diversifying feedstocks for ethanol production to ensure security and avoid over-reliance on any single source. He also highlighted the successful launch of E100 fuel at over 400 retail outlets across the country, urging automobile manufacturers to produce vehicles compatible with E100 fuel. He addressed misconceptions about ethanol blending, clarifying that it improves engine performance by increasing the octane number and enhancing engine efficiency.

Drawing from global practices, Shri Puri cited Brazil’s successful use of high ethanol blends and reassured that India is committed to scaling up E20 production. He commended the automobile industry for developing retrofit kits for older vehicles, facilitating biofuel adoption.

In conclusion, Shri Puri underscored biofuels' vital role in reducing fossil fuel dependence and emissions, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future. He also discussed the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), established during India’s G20 presidency, which aims to harness the $500 billion opportunity in biofuels and accelerate global adoption through technology transfer.

The India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024, organized by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE) and MMACTIV Sci-Tech Communications Ltd., is being held at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, from 2nd to 4th September 2024. The event, inaugurated by Shri Gadkari and Shri Puri, focuses on driving growth in India's bioenergy sector, highlighting key government policies and initiatives, including the National Policy on Biofuels 2018, the SATAT Scheme on Compressed Bio Gas (CBG), and other government efforts to promote sustainable energy solutions.