By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAR 16, 2024: HARDEEP Singh Puri, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs, launched 'ETHANOL 100, a revolutionary automotive fuel at Indian Oil Retail Outlet M/s. Irwin Road Service Station, here yesterday. Starting from today, customers can avail ETHANOL 100 at select 183 retail outlets across five states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu.

Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas; kant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, senior officials from MoP&NG, functional Directors of Indian Oil also participated in the launch ceremony.

Launching the path breaking fuel, Hardeep Singh Puri said that the launch of ETHANOL 100 was inspired by the vision of the Prime Minister of India to transform Annadatas to Urjadatas. Calling it a revolutionary fuel, the Minister said that ETHANOL 100 fuel has the potential to transform our transportation sector and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

"It reflects the government's commitment to reducing import dependency, conserving foreign exchange, and boosting the agriculture sector. Since the Prime Minister's announcement on E20 (20% ethanol blended fuel) in 2023, the E20 availability has increased to 12,000 outlets in under a year, and now, with the launch of ETHANOL100 at 183 outlets of IndianOil, we are close to achieving the target of 20% ethanol blending by 2025-26. During the last 10 years these ethanol blending initiatives have enhanced farmer incomes, increased rural employment, reduced CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 1.75 crore trees and resulted in savings of Rs 85,000 crore worth of foreign exchange" he stated.

Speaking about the strides made by the country towards realizing vision of PM to reach 20% blending of Ethanol in Petrol by 2025-26, Puri, said that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have been at the forefront of this endeavor, introducing various blends of Ethanol with Petrol across the country. He said that OMCs have signed long term offtake agreements with 131 dedicated ethanol plants. These plants are expected to add an annual production design capacity of 745 crore litres. OMCs have also invested in increasing storage capacity and allied infrastructure for handling higher blending percentages, he added.

On the occasion, Jain, Secretary MoPNG, said "The initiative underscores a significant shift towards embracing sustainable technologies, instilling confidence in manufacturers to invest in ethanol-based vehicles. The transition of high-volume vehicles to alternative fuels is a testament to our commitment. Moreover, the consistent supply of ethanol, backed by our robust ethanol industry, addresses concerns over its availability. This move also affirms our commitment to decarbonization. I extend my compliments to IndianOil for spearheading this initiative. Their support signifies the permanence of ethanol and flex fuels in our energy landscape".

Addressing the gathering, Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil highlighted that India is among the few countries of the world to have ETHANOL 100 fuel. He said "This marks a significant milestone in India's journey towards sustainability and clean mobility".

ETHANOL 100 stands as a cleaner, greener alternative to gasoline, boasting lower emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, thus aiding in combating climate change and enhancing air quality in our communities. With its high-octane rating, typically between 100-105, ETHANOL100 proves ideal for high-performance engines, ensuring improved efficiency and power output all while minimizing environmental impact. Moreover, ETHANOL 100's versatility shines through, as it can be used in a wide array of vehicles, including flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) designed to run on gasoline, ethanol, or any blend of the two, showcasing its practicality and potential to become a mainstream fuel option with the right infrastructure in place.