Gadkari: Research on 15% Ethanol Blending in Diesel Near Completion

15 Oct 2024 CW Team

India's efforts to blend ethanol into fuel are picking up pace, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announcing that research on blending 15% ethanol in diesel is now in advanced stages. Speaking at the 12th CII Bioenergy Summit 2024 in New Delhi, he emphasized the critical role of ethanol in achieving India's green energy objectives and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Gadkari highlighted the significant increase in ethanol blending in petrol, which has risen from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024, with the government's aim set at 20% blending by 2025. He mentioned that Indian Oil has made plans to establish 400 ethanol pump stations, and automakers such as Suzuki, Tata, and Toyota are gearing up to introduce flex-engine vehicles. Additionally, he noted that ethanol bikes from manufacturers like TVS, Bajaj, and Honda are prepared for rollout as soon as the necessary infrastructure is established.

He also pointed out a shift in government focus from ‘knowledge to wealth’ towards ‘waste to wealth,’ indicating that over 475 CNG projects are in progress, with 40 projects already underway, many utilizing rice straw for CNG production. On the topic of bio-CNG, he mentioned that pilot projects are being conducted to convert municipal solid waste into bio-CNG, which could substantially lower raw material costs.

Gadkari urged the industry to seek out more efficient biomass sources and tackle transportation costs. He envisioned that fully integrating biofuel into the agricultural economy could elevate the agriculture sector's contribution to GDP from 14-15% to over 20%, ultimately transforming farmers into ‘Annadata’ (food-giver) and ‘Urjadata’ (energy-giver).

Building Material

18 Sep 2025

Ambuja Cements Drags JSW Cement to Court Over ‘Kawach’ Brand

Ambuja Cements, part of the Adani Group, has filed a trademark infringement case against JSW Cement in the Delhi High Court, alleging that its rival copied the ‘Kawach’ brand with its new product ‘Jal Kavach’.Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued summons to JSW Cement and its subsidiary, JSW IP Holdings Pvt Ltd, while referring the matter to mediation. Hearings are scheduled to resume on October 15 if no settlement is reached.Ambuja, which registered the ‘Kawach’ trademark in 2019, argues that the term ‘Kavach’—meaning shield—is the distinctive feature of its branding. ..

Bentley Systems Named Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 by Afcons

Bentley Systems, the infrastructure engineering software company, has been recognised by Afcons Infrastructure Limited as its Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 at the Innovation Partners 2025 Felicitation Ceremony in Mumbai. The award acknowledges Bentley’s contribution to Afcons’ engineering digitalisation journey through an enterprise agreement providing access to over 250 Bentley engineering software tools. This adoption has enabled Afcons to accelerate project delivery, standardise digital workflows, and strengthen innovation across its infrastructure portfolio. Among key i..

SBI Sells 13.18% Stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s SMBC

State Bank of India (SBI) has completed the sale of a 13.18 per cent stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for over Rs 8,889 crore. The divestment is part of a Rs 13,482 crore deal finalised in May with SMBC and seven private banks.Following the transaction, SBI’s shareholding in Yes Bank stands at 10.8 per cent. The deal, involving 4,134.4 million shares at Rs 21.50 each, is the largest cross-border transaction in the Indian banking sector.SBI Chairman C S Setty described the 2020 RBI-led rescue of Yes Bank as a pioneering public-private partnership, addi..