Industry, government, and global experts convene to advance India’s biofuel adoption, focusing on ethanol blending, sustainable feedstock, and policy frameworks for a cleaner, self-reliant energy future.
11 Aug 2025 | 2831 Views | By Sarthak Mahajan
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted the 4th International Conference on World Biofuel Day in New Delhi, focusing on the theme “Indian Auto Industry’s Contribution Towards a Biofuel Economy.” Organized under SIAM’s Jaivik Pahal (Bio Initiative) campaign, the event brought together government officials, industry leaders, international experts, and ...
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The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted the 4th International Conference on World Biofuel Day in New Delhi, focusing on the theme “Indian Auto Industry’s Contribution Towards a Biofuel Economy.” Organized under SIAM’s Jaivik Pahal (Bio Initiative) campaign, the event brought together government officials, industry leaders, international experts, and sustainability stakeholders to discuss strategies for advancing biofuel adoption in India’s transportation sector.
The conference opened with a session titled “Charting the Roadmap for Biofuel Adoption in the Country,” where speakers outlined policy developments, technological advancements, and collaborative efforts required to scale biofuel integration in the automotive sector.
Prashant K. Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, welcomed attendees and emphasized the potential of biofuels to support national development and environmental goals. “The transition to a bio-based fuel economy aligns with climate action, clean energy, rural development, and public health,” he said. “Through innovation and collaboration, India can position itself as a global leader in sustainable mobility.”
Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, highlighted the country’s progress in ethanol blending. “India has achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol (E20) by 2025—five years ahead of the original 2030 target,” he noted. “This milestone was made possible by the National Biofuel Policy of 2018, which expanded the range of feedstock allowed for ethanol production, including molasses, sugarcane juice, and grains.”
H.E. Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega, Ambassador of Brazil to India, shared insights from Brazil’s long-standing biofuel program. “The success of any biofuel initiative depends not only on technology and feedstock availability but also on a stable and predictable regulatory environment,” he said. “Biofuels contribute to cleaner air, rural development, energy security, and climate change mitigation. Multiple pathways must coexist to achieve carbon neutrality.”
Representing the commercial vehicle sector, R. S. Sachdeva, Deputy CEO and Chief Transformation Officer, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd., discussed industry efforts to support biodiesel and biogas integration. “While biodiesel blending is still in early stages, the industry is actively developing the ecosystem. We are currently testing a 1% biogas mix with CNG. Ensuring feedstock consistency, training drivers, and fostering cross-sector collaboration are essential for scaling these initiatives.”
Ryuta Niimura, Chief Engineer, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Japan, underscored the importance of global cooperation. “The Global Biofuel Alliance plays a key role in promoting ethanol use,” he said. “Ethanol is a carbon-neutral fuel that can be integrated into existing fuel infrastructure, helping reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions. Domestic production from agricultural feedstock also supports farmers and strengthens energy self-reliance.”
Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Managing Director, Indraprastha Gas Ltd., highlighted the potential of biogas. “India’s early achievement of E20 is commendable, but biogas remains an underutilized resource,” he said. “Challenges such as unsegregated municipal waste and lack of feedstock aggregation must be addressed. With the right policies, India could achieve 10% biogas infusion in CNG by 2030, turning waste into a valuable energy source.”
Niraj Shirgaokar, Managing Director, The Ugar Sugar Works Ltd. and Vice President, Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association, emphasized the sugar industry’s contribution. “Ethanol provides a scalable solution for reducing transport emissions while boosting rural incomes,” he said. “Between 2014 and 2024, the industry invested ₹40,000 crore in ethanol distilleries. With government support, ethanol production capacity has doubled in five years. Looking ahead, the base blend should gradually increase from E20 to E25, E27, and eventually E30.”
A context paper titled “Ethanol’s Role in India’s Decarbonisation Journey” was released during the event, outlining strategies for expanding biofuel use in the automotive sector.
The first thematic session, “Ethanol Blending Program (EBP): Beyond E20,” chaired by Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., focused on the next phase of ethanol integration. He noted that most new passenger vehicles are now E20-compliant, but further scaling will require coordinated planning.
Presentations and panel discussions featured Dr. Mark Broomfield, Technical Director, Ricardo, on biofuels and air quality, and inputs from representatives of NRI Consulting, the Department of Science & Technology, Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, Bureau of Indian Standards, and Shell India Markets Pvt. Ltd., who discussed policy frameworks and technical standards for higher ethanol blends.
The second session, “Developing Advanced Biofuels in the Country,” chaired by Harjeet Singh, Senior Technical Advisor, Hero MotoCorp, explored innovations in second-generation (2G) ethanol, compressed biogas (CBG), and low-carbon liquid fuels. Speakers included Rajnath Ram, Adviser (Energy), NITI Aayog, who emphasized the strategic importance of biofuels for energy security and rural development. “Biofuels serve climate action, energy independence, and rural prosperity,” he said. “No significant vehicle wear has been observed due to E20 use up to 100,000 kilometers.”
Other contributors included Brittany Hook, Business Development Director, HutanBio; Anurag Saraogi, Executive Director (Biofuels), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.; Dr. Avinash Chandra Pandey, Director, Inter-University Accelerator Centre; and industry representatives from Triveni Engineering, Regreen-Excel EPC, and Cummins India.
The third session, “Sustainable Feedstock for Atmanirbhar Biofuel Production,” chaired by R. Ramaprabhu, Head (Fluids Technology PTD), Mahindra & Mahindra, addressed feedstock availability and optimization. Aswani Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Sugar), Government of India, stated that feedstock supply remains critical. “India produced 1,822 crore liters of biofuels and has the capacity to sustain E20 blending. Field trials for water-efficient crops like sweet sorghum are underway in Maharashtra.”
Contributions were also made by Prof. (Dr.) Seema Paroha, Director, National Sugar Institute; Gaurav Kedia, Chairman, Indian Biogas Association; Milind S. Patke, COO, GPS Renewables; Shweta Saini, Senior Fellow, Arcus Policy Research; and Sanjay Pandita, Vice President, Reliance BP Mobility Ltd., who discussed technological and market solutions for securing raw materials.
The conference concluded with a strong emphasis on multi-stakeholder collaboration, innovation, and policy coordination as essential elements for building a sustainable biofuel ecosystem in India.
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is the apex body representing vehicle and engine manufacturers in India. Registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, SIAM works to support the growth of the automotive industry, promote environmental sustainability, enhance road safety, and fulfill social responsibilities. It is recognized under the Income Tax Act, 1961, as an institution with charitable objectives.