The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at its meeting on Wednesday approved the amendments to the National Policy on Biofuels
Centre advances ethanol blending target of 20% in petrol to 2025-26 from 2030 – Representative image/PTI
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved advancing the target of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol by 5 years to 2025-26. It has also allowed more feedstocks for the production of biofuels which will help the country cut dependency on imported oil for meeting its energy needs.
An official statement said that the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at its meeting on Wednesday approved the amendments to the National Policy on Biofuels
The main amendment is for advancing the target of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol (20 per cent ethanol, 80 per cent petrol) to 2025-26 from 2030. At present, around 10 per cent of ethanol is blended in petrol.
Also, more feedstocks have been allowed for the production of biofuels which can be doped with auto fuels.
The amendment to the National Policy on Biofuels also provides for promoting the production of biofuels in the country, under the Make in India programme, by units located in Special Economic Zones (SEZ)/ Export Oriented Units (EoUs).
“This proposal will also attract and foster developments of indigenous technologies which will pave the way for Make in India drive and thereby generate more employment,” the Cabinet said.
The Cabinet also approved granting “permission for export of biofuels in specific cases,” the statement said.
The existing National Policy on Biofuels came up in 2018.
The statement said that this amendment proposal will pave the way for the Make in India drive and thereby leading to a reduction in import of petroleum products by the generation of more and more biofuels.
“Since many more feedstocks are being allowed for the production of biofuels, this will promote the Atmanirbhar Bharat and give an impetus to Prime Minister’s vision of India becoming ‘energy independent’ by 2047,” the statement added.
With inputs from PTI
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