Shirish Gandhi
The central government has been striving for ethanol to play a greater role in the transportation sector. As an important step in this direction, it announced that it will soon increase the country’s fuel supply. “Within six months, we will establish an ethanol pump network in the country. I guarantee that the supply of ethanol is our responsibility and we will ensure the supply of ethanol,” said Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Road Union at the recent SIAM annual meeting. Said.
- E100 will be provided at the upcoming ethanol fuel station
- E10 gasoline will be available throughout India in 2022
- Transport Minister Gadkari discourages diesel engine sales
He further elaborated that the Ministry of Petroleum has ordered “public sector oil companies to activate ethanol pumps for flexible fuel engines in areas where ethanol is available.”
The government promotes flexible fuel engines
The government promotes the use of ethanol as a green alternative to traditional fuels, seeking Indian car and bicycle manufacturers to introduce flexible fuel engines into their product lines.exist 2021 Indian Car Awards, The Minister of Transportation once said, “I ask everyone in the automotive industry to cooperate with us to bring flexible engines, just like in the United States, Brazil and Canada.”
At the beginning of this month, Gadkari further urges automotive professionals to launch this technology within a yearAt the recent SIAM conference, he reiterated his determination. “We are very committed to providing vehicles equipped with flexible engines, so that users can choose to run the vehicle with 100% ethanol (E100) or 100% gasoline.”
Commenting on the commercial availability of ethanol, Tarun Kapoor, Secretary of the GOI Oil and Gas Department who also participated in the SIAM event, said: “We have launched E100, but it is only available in three retail stores. Outlets, we will expand this. However, we will need two-wheelers or some other vehicles running on the E100 later, so that, at least as an experiment, we can drive some vehicles on the road.”
Currently, India does not sell two- or four-wheel passenger cars with flex-fuel engines. TVS launched the ethanol-powered version of Apache RTR 200 However, in July 2019, this model is not yet available for purchase. Automakers often cited the lack of ethanol distribution networks as one of the key reasons for not actively pursuing the technology. Then, the government’s upcoming action will correct the complaint.
Launch of E20 and E100: India’s gasoline roadmap
India initially set itself a goal of producing gasoline blended with 20% ethanol or E20 by 2030. As we have already reported, The timeline is first advanced to 2025 and then to 2023When talking about this issue, Nitin Gadkari said: “We now allow ethanol to be produced from grains, such as rice, corn, wheat and corn, which are in surplus in the country. I look forward to the industry’s launch of E20-compatible vehicles as soon as possible. ”
Petroleum Minister Tarun Kapoor has a deep understanding of the government’s plan, adding: “As far as the future of gasoline is concerned, the proportion of ethanol blended with gasoline will be as high as 20%. Once we reach E20, and then use flexible fuel vehicles, we You can have E20 and E100. Then motor vehicle owners can decide what percentage they want. So, in terms of gasoline, this is the road map.”
Although the government may be prepared for the future of alternative fuels, it may be difficult for automakers to keep up. The industry is already formulating a strict emission control timetable. CAFE 2 regulations will be introduced next year and RDE will be introduced in 2023. Simultaneously shifting to the E20 in the same year, followed closely by the imminent requirements for flexible fuel engines, which may further complicate matters.Therefore, the automotive industry has always required Long-term emissions roadmap From the government, in order to better prepare for the upcoming regulations.
E10 gasoline will soon cover 100% in India
India started to mix gasoline with 5% ethanol, and the current stimulant level is about 10% (E10). “Over 80% of the gasoline sold in the country today is E10,” Kapoor said. He mentioned that, with the exception of parts of the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, West Bengal and some other areas in the east, most areas of the country use E10 fuel. The government official added: “Starting next year, it will definitely cover the entire country, including the Northeast.”
As mentioned above, E20 will be introduced after the switch to E10, and the government will eventually target flexible fuel vehicles that can run on E100. The strong interest in ethanol stems from the fact that not only does it produce lower emissions than pure gasoline, but it can also be purchased locally.
“India imports 800 million rupees of crude oil (per year) and it will double in the next four to five years. This will have a huge impact on the economy and the environment. Therefore, the government is pushing for cleaner and more environmentally friendly alternative fuels,” The Minister of Transportation said.
He added: “I call on automakers to stop the production and sales of diesel-engine cars. The pollution caused by diesel is extremely harmful to the environment and human health.”
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