Dependence on fossil fuel will be cut to 30% by 2047, says Puri

NEW DELHI: India's dependence on traditional fossil fuel energy will reduce to around 30% by 2047, when the country celebrates its 100th year of Independence, petroleum & natural gas minister Hardeep Puri said on Friday.

"The transition (to clean fuels) is not a switch which you can turn on and off. You have to establish expensive infra to make the transition...The test lies in what we are achieving on the green front," Puri said. He added that ethanol blending has gone up from 1.4% in 2014 to 10% in 2022, and 20% would be achieved by 2025. The minister said India is moving forward in compressed biogas segment and around 80 plants are under commissioning.

Puri said the country is moving towards making 15% of its energy mix through natural gas. He also slammed the opposition for protesting outside Parliament, rather than debating issues. "The nature of the protest reflects the maturity level of politics," he added.