India's efforts to blend ethanol into fuel are picking up pace, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announcing that research on blending 15% ethanol in diesel is now in advanced stages. Speaking at the 12th CII Bioenergy Summit 2024 in New Delhi, he emphasized the critical role of ethanol in achieving India's green energy objectives and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Gadkari highlighted the significant increase in ethanol blending in petrol, which has risen from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024, with the government's aim set at 20% blending by 2025. He mentioned that Indian Oil has made plans to establish 400 ethanol pump stations, and automakers such as Suzuki, Tata, and Toyota are gearing up to introduce flex-engine vehicles. Additionally, he noted that ethanol bikes from manufacturers like TVS, Bajaj, and Honda are prepared for rollout as soon as the necessary infrastructure is established.

He also pointed out a shift in government focus from ‘knowledge to wealth’ towards ‘waste to wealth,’ indicating that over 475 CNG projects are in progress, with 40 projects already underway, many utilizing rice straw for CNG production. On the topic of bio-CNG, he mentioned that pilot projects are being conducted to convert municipal solid waste into bio-CNG, which could substantially lower raw material costs.

Gadkari urged the industry to seek out more efficient biomass sources and tackle transportation costs. He envisioned that fully integrating biofuel into the agricultural economy could elevate the agriculture sector's contribution to GDP from 14-15% to over 20%, ultimately transforming farmers into ‘Annadata’ (food-giver) and ‘Urjadata’ (energy-giver).