Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India’s 1st Private LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) Facility plant at Nagpur, Maharashtra. The Plant has been set up by Baidyanath Ayurvedic Group.
- Emphasizing the importance of alternate biofuels for diversification of agriculture towards the energy and power sector, Gadkari stated that India is spending 8 Lakh Crore for the import of petrol, diesel & petroleum products.
- The Government has designed a policy which encourages development of cost effective pollution free and indigenous ethanol, bio CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), LNG and hydrogen fuels.
- He stated that Surplus quantities of rice, corn and sugar must be used for production of alternative fuels.
Flex Engines
Nitin Gadkari highlighted the importance of ‘Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs)’. FFVs have engines which are capable of operating on more than one fuel and also a mixture. Typically, a blend of petrol and ethanol or methanol or gasoline is used.
- The Government is set to announce a policy for mandatory installation of flex engines by automobile manufacturers in India.
- He stated that the cost of the vehicle will remain the same irrespective of whether it is petrol or Flex engine.
Draft LNG Policy 2021
i.In February 2021, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) released the Draft LNG Policy 2021.
- It sets up a framework for promotion of LNG and finds ways for LNG adoption in sectors which do not use it as a fuel. Globally, India is the 4th Importer of LNG.
- The policy will work towards the Government’s plans of having 1,000 LNG retail outlets, for which an investment of INR 10,000 crore is needed in the next 5 years.
- It also aims to make LNG the fuel of the future for heavy transport, it aims to convert 10% of long haul heavy duty trucks to run on LNG.
ii.The policy aims to create LNG terminals with more than 100 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) along the coastal regions to increase the share of LNG in India’s total energy matrix to 15% by 2030 from the current level of 6%.
Fact – India has advanced the target for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2023. E20 will be rolled out from April 2023.
Recent Related News:
April 13, 2021, INOXCVA has signed a MoU with Japan’s Mitsui & Co (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd with an aim to enhance small scale LNG applications development and provide stimulus to the gas based economy in India.
About Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH)
Union Minister – Nitin Jairam Gadkari (Lok Sabha – Nagpur, Maharashtra)
Minister of State – Gen. V K Singh (Lok Sabha – Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
