Lok Sabha Question No. 2970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: Increase in Blending of Ethanol
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni, Shri Daroga Prasad Saroj

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2970

TO BE ANSWERED ON 8 th  August, 2024

## INCREASE IN BLENDING OF ETHANOL

2970.  SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI: SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ:

## पेᮝोिलयम और ᮧाकृितक गैस मंᮢी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  different  kinds  of  feed-stocks  permitted  for  use  in  ethanol production;
- (b)  whether it is true that  average blending of ethanol has gone up from  38 crore litre  in  2013-14  to  302  crore  litre  in  2020-21,  however,  the  percentage  of increase  is  only  from  1.5%  in  2013-14  to  8%  in  2020-21  indicating  that  the average increase during seven years is not even 1% annually;
- (c)  if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d)  the percentage of ethanol blending between 2021-22 and 2023-24; and
- (e)  the manner in which the Government proposes to push annual average increase to, at least, 3%, to achieve the target of 20% blending by 2030?

## ANSWER

पेᮝोिलयम और ᮧाकृितक गैस मंᮢालय मᱶ रा᭔य मंᮢी (᮰ी सुरेश गोपी)

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

(a):  The  National  Policy  on  Biofuels-2018,  as  amended  in  2022,  has  identified various feedstocks for ethanol production, these inter-alia includes C & B - Heavy Molasses,  sugarcane  juice, sugar, sugar syrup,  biomass  in form  of grasses, agriculture  residues  (rice  straw,  cotton  stalk,  corn  cobs,  saw  dust,  bagasse  etc.), sugar containing materials like sugar beet, sweet sorghum,  etc. and starch containing materials such as corn cassava, rotten potatoes, agro food / pulp industry waste,  etc.,  damaged  food  grains  like  broken  rice,  food  grains  unfit  for  human consumption,  food  grains  during  surplus  phase  as  declared  by  National  Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC), industrial waste, industrial waste off-gases, algal and cultivation of sea weeds etc.

(b) to (d): Under Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, the blending of ethanol with petrol increased from 38 crore litres in Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2013-14 to 302.3  crore  litres  in  ESY  2020-21  with  corresponding  increase  in  blending percentage from 1.53% to 8.17%. During the corresponding period, the consumption of petrol itself has also increased by approx. 64%. The production of fuel  grade  ethanol  and  its  supply  to  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  has increased by more than 7 times from ESY 2013-14 to ESY 2020-21. Encouraged by this  performance,  Government  decided  to  advance  the  target  of  20%  ethanol blending in petrol from 2030 to ESY 2025-26. OMCs achieved the target of 10% ethanol blending in petrol in June, 2022 i.e. five months ahead of the target during ESY 2021-22.  Blending of ethanol with petrol further increased to more than 500 crore  litres  in  ESY  2022-23  with  corresponding  increase  in  blending  to  12.06%. During the current ESY 2023-24, the blending percentage has already crossed 13%.

(e):  In  order  to  achieve  20%  ethanol  blending  target  by  ESY  2025-26,  the Government  has  taken  several  measures  which  includes  a  detailed  Roadmap  for Ethanol  Blending  in  India;  expansion  of  feedstock  for  production  of  ethanol; remunerative price for procurement of ethanol under the EBP Programme; lowered GST  rate  to  5%  on  ethanol  for  EBP  Programme;  amendment  in  Industries (Development  &  Regulation)  Act  for  free  movement  of  ethanol  across  states  for blending; interest subvention scheme for enhancement and augmentation of ethanol production capacity in the country; regular floating of Expression of Interest (EoI) by Public Sector OMCs for procurement of ethanol.

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