Lok Sabha Question No. 1854 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Exploration of Alternate Fuels
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Krishna Pal Singh Yadav, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Rita Bahuguna Joshi

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1854

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 th December, 2023

## EXPLORATION OF ALTERNATE FUELS

1854.  DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV: DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: PROF. RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

## पेोिलयम और ाकृितक गैस मंी

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

- (a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  explore  alternate  fuels  including  ethanol blended fuel;
- (b)  whether the Government has chalked out a plan to increase the use and productivity of alternate fuels, i.e. , ethanol blended fuel;
- (c)  if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether increase in alternative fuel use would provide us energy security and reduce carbon emissions; and
- (e)  if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

पेोिलयम और ाकृितक गैस मंालय म राय मंी ( ी रामेर तेली )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (c):  To promote the use of alternate fuels across the country various programmes such as Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, wherein Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)  sell  petrol  blended  with  ethanol;  Biodiesel  blending  programme  wherein biodiesel  is  blended  with  diesel;  and  Sustainable  Alternative  towards  Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative  wherein Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) is marketed along with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) have been taken up.

Further, the Government has notified the use of hydrogen as automotive fuel for fuel cell vehicles on 16th September, 2016. The specifications of Hydrogen as a reference fuel for Internal Combustion Engine BS IV vehicles have also been notified on 16th December, 2022.

Government,  since  2014,  has  taken  several  measures  to  increase  production  and utilization of alternate fuels including ethanol in the country which includes permitting procurement of ethanol produced from other non-food feedstock besides molasses, like cellulosic  and  lignocelluloses  materials  like  cotton  stalk,  wheat  straw,  rice  straw, bagasse,  bamboo  etc.  including  petrochemical  route,  subject  to  meeting  the  relevant BIS standards; allowing use of sugarcane and food grains (maize and surplus stocks of rice  with  Food  Corporation  of  India)  for  conversion  to  ethanol;  administered  price mechanism  for  procurement  of  ethanol  under  the  Ethanol  Blended  Petrol  (EBP) Programme including enhanced ex-mill price of ethanol from sugarcane feedstock year on year from ethanol supply year 2017-18; 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.

Government has also notified the 'Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan - Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana' for providing financial support for setting up  Second  Generation  (2G)  ethanol  projects  in  the  country  using  lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.

(d) & (e): Increase in alternate fuel use is expected to provide energy security and reduce carbon emission. As per the 'Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25', the  estimated  requirement  for  20%  ethanol  blending  in  Ethanol  Supply  Year  (ESY) 2025-26 is approximately 1016 crore litres and this quantity of petrol will be replaced by ethanol. Further, the anticipated emission benefits with E10 & E20 fuels compared to neat petrol are as under:

| Emission        | Gasoline   | Two-wheelers   | Two-wheelers   | Four-wheelers   | Four-wheelers   |
|-----------------|------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|                 |            | E10            | E20            | E10             | E20             |
| Carbon Monoxide | Baseline   | 20% lower      | 50% lower      | 20% lower       | 30% lower       |
| Hydrocarbons    | Baseline   | 20% lower      | 20% lower      | 20% lower       | 20% lower       |

(Source: Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25 published in June, 2021)

******