Gadkari urges shift to 100% ethanol blending, flags energy security and import risks

India should aim for 100 per cent ethanol blending in the near future to strengthen energy self-reliance, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. He said that vulnerabilities in oil supplies due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia have made it essential for the country to reduce dependence on imports.Speaking at the Indian Federation of Green Energy's Green Transport Conclave, Gadkari said, "In the near future, India should aspire to achieve 100 per cent ethanol blending... Today, we are facing an energy crisis due to the war in West Asia, so it is necessary for us to become self-reliant in the energy sector," as quoted by PTI.India currently allows vehicles to run on E20 petrol, which contains 20 per cent ethanol, with minor engine modifications to avoid corrosion and related issues. In 2023, PM Modi launched petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol. Countries such as Brazil have already achieved 100 per cent ethanol blending.Gadkari noted that India imports 87 per cent of its oil requirements, adding, “We import fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is also causing pollution... so we need to work on increasing production of alternative fuel and bio-fuel."On future energy solutions, he stressed the importance of green hydrogen but pointed out challenges in cost and transport. "Transport of hydrogen fuel is a problem. Also, we need to produce 1 kg of hydrogen at $1 dollar, to make India an exporter of energy," he said, adding that hydrogen production from waste should be explored.The minister also emphasised the role of a circular economy in generating employment opportunities. While calling for reduced reliance on petrol and diesel vehicles, he clarified, "But we can not force people to stop buying petrol and diesel vehicles."Addressing concerns about E20 fuel, Gadkari said the petroleum sector is lobbying against the move. He also urged automobile manufacturers to prioritise quality over cost to expand into new markets.Last year, Gadkari dismissed criticism against E20 (ethanol-blended petrol), saying a "paid" social media campaign is being run to "target me politically." He said Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and Automotive Research Association of India have shared their findings on ethanol blending in petrol. He added that India's ethanol programme has benefited farmers, noting that ethanol made from maize has helped them get better prices and led to gains of Rs 45,000 crore.