India On Track For 20% Ethanol Blending By 2025: Hardeep Singh Puri

The 7th edition of the Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community Conference (G-STIC) was inaugurated in New Delhi, marking a significant step towards aligning technology, policy, and business strategies for sustainable development. The conference is organised by TERI (INDIA), VITO (a research organisation in sustainability and innovation from Belgium) and other co-hosts. The event brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to explore innovative solutions addressing climate change, resource scarcity, and economic development challenges.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, and His Excellency Didier Vanderhasselt, Ambassador of Belgium to India, officially inaugurated the conference in his address. 

At the conference, Puri emphasised the role of biofuels and green hydrogen in India’s energy transition. “India’s biofuel story started in 2006, with 1.5 per cent blending against the target of 5 per cent. Moving forward, we achieved a 10 per cent target in November 2022 and are on track to achieve 20 per cent blending by 2025. We are already discussing the post-20 per cent blending roadmap,” he noted. 

Puri also highlighted the importance of technology scaling and the economics of energy transitions, particularly in the Indian context.

The Minister stressed the need to address the energy demands of developing nations, particularly in the Global South, where many countries remain heavily reliant on energy imports. He expressed optimism that India’s success with ethanol initiatives could serve as a model for these regions. However, he noted that, unlike Brazil, India faces limitations due to its scarcity of arable land for large-scale biofuel production. Despite this, he underscored the potential for innovative biofuel strategies to reduce import dependency while meeting local energy needs. In addition to biofuels, the Minister highlighted the growing importance of green hydrogen as a transformative energy solution.

As the world accelerates toward a low-carbon future, green hydrogen is emerging as a pivotal component of the global energy transition. Its potential to decarbonise industries, power clean transportation, and provide energy storage makes it essential for achieving sustainability goals. At the G-STIC conference, experts explored strategies for developing green hydrogen markets, ensuring secure offtake, and addressing the cost challenges currently hindering large-scale adoption. These discussions focused on reducing risks for investors and producers, positioning green hydrogen as a key pillar for a sustainable energy future.

In his concluding remarks, Puri focused on the potential of green hydrogen as a game-changer for India’s energy landscape. He outlined the importance of local demand, production, and consumption in making green hydrogen a viable energy source. The key challenge, he noted, remains in reducing the cost of production, and he called for ongoing innovation and scaling of technology in this sector.

Providing an overview of the conference, Dietrich Van der Weken, General Manager of G-STIC at VITO, remarked, "We are strongly convinced that technology is a critical enabler of sustainable development, but it must be paired with the right policies, partnerships, and mindsets to bring about the transformative changes that the world urgently needs. G-STIC focuses not only on technological solutions but also on the levers of change that will enable their implementation, whether through policy reforms, business innovation, or shifts in consumer behaviour." This broader perspective on technology’s role in driving sustainability was echoed in other sessions throughout the conference, including a debate on the role of artificial intelligence in education.

Exploring the role of technology at the conference, the experts debated how AI could transform the educational landscape. Some argued that AI has the potential to revolutionise learning by enhancing personalised education, while others raised concerns about the risks of over-reliance on technology. The session highlighted the need to balance innovation and human oversight, emphasising critical thinking skills and ethical considerations. These discussions set the stage for future conversations about the intersection of AI, innovation, and policy in shaping the future of education.

The conference featured a multistakeholder approach, encouraging discussions that harmonise pathways between technology, policy, and business to build a sustainable future. Inge Neven, CEO of VITO, emphasised G-STIC's broader role, stating, “G-STIC is not just a conference but a powerful multistakeholder platform for driving the sustainable change our world urgently needs. It bridges the gap between science, technology, and policy.”

HE Didier Vanderhasselt, Ambassador of Belgium to India, underscored the importance of global partnerships, stating, “In India, VITO is involved in many projects, the most crucial being mapping and adaptation in cities to mitigate urban heat stress. Success in these areas depends on collaborative and collective efforts supported by strong business models. Building bridges between research and the private sector is crucial, which is something we will see happen in these two days.”