Biofuel to Play Key Role in India’s Energy Transition: Hardeep Singh Puri

July 26, 2026

New Delhi: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that initiatives such as the Biofuel Mission, Green Hydrogen Mission and Samudra Manthan are driving India’s transition towards a cleaner, self-reliant energy future.

The minister said biofuels are emerging as a key pillar of the country’s sustainable energy strategy by reducing dependence on imported fuels, increasing farmers’ income and supporting environmental conservation.

Biofuels to Strengthen India’s Energy Security

Puri said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving rapidly towards energy transition with a focus on domestic energy production, advanced technologies and the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

He added that over the next five years, the expansion of domestic energy resources and clean energy initiatives would further strengthen India’s position as a global energy power.

According to official data, the ethanol blending programme between 2014-15 and May 2026 has helped save more than Rs 1.90 lakh crore in foreign exchange by replacing 310 lakh metric tonnes of imported crude oil. The programme has also generated over Rs 1.6 lakh crore in additional income for farmers and reduced carbon emissions by more than 930 lakh metric tonnes.

Renewable Energy Capacity Continues to Grow

The government noted that India imports nearly 88.5 per cent of the crude oil it consumes, making ethanol blending a key policy priority to reduce dependence on global oil markets.

Meanwhile, India’s installed renewable energy capacity has increased nearly fourfold from 76.38 GW in 2014 to 288.58 GW as of June 30, 2026.

Solar energy leads the renewable sector with an installed capacity of 162.15 GW, followed by 57.44 GW of wind power and 57.24 GW of hydropower. Bio power contributes 11.75 GW to the country’s renewable energy portfolio.

The government informed Parliament that India’s total installed non-fossil fuel-based electricity capacity has reached 297.36 GW, including 288.58 GW of renewable energy and 8.78 GW of nuclear power, reflecting the country’s continued push towards cleaner and sustainable energy sources.