The Petroleum Ministry’s Transition to Renewable Energy Advisory Committee has presented its final recommendations. It recommends a total ban on diesel-powered four-wheelers by 2027 in all major towns with a million or more residents. According to the advisory body led by the previous petroleum department Tarun Kapoor, the general trend for external transportation must favor EVs. It urges that no new diesel-powered buses for cities be introduced to metropolitan areas and that regulation on diesel-powered 4-wheelers be implemented in 5 years.
According to the research, starting in 2024, all new certifications for municipal delivery vehicles must be electric for 75% of the shipment cars in all cities with a population of more than a million people to be electric in the next ten years. The Indian Railways will quickly electrify its rails. According to the research, in 15 years, the overall freight contribution from railroads should increase from 23% to 50%.
According to the advising group, electricity will increase from 18% to 40% of India’s overall consumption of energy. By 2030, we should get 25% of homes cooking employing electricity. It also recommended blending compressed biogas, hydrogen, and natural gas for cooking (LPG).
Four-Wheelers
The Energy Transition Advisory Council (ETAC) suggested that diesel-powered four-wheelers should be phased out as soon as feasible in its study “The Green Shift.”
Consequently, a regulation on diesel-powered four-wheelers must be implemented in five years, or by 2027, in any municipality with a population of more than a million and all cities with significant pollution levels.
The paper focuses on the petroleum and natural gas public-sector enterprises (PSUs), which ETAC put together to provide a route for the energy transition. It focuses on expanding the usage of renewable energy sources, including hydrogen, biofuels, nuclear power, thermal energy, and tidal energy, in the nation’s energy mix.
The paper states that four-wheelers, including passenger vehicles and taxis, should switch to ethanol-blended gasoline and electric power with about 50% shares in all three categories.
Additionally, there must be an ongoing emphasis (up to 10-15 years) on switching to electric vehicles (EVs), with CNG as a transitional fuel. However, promoting hybrids and flex-fuel cars is possible in the near and medium term.
City Vehicles
To accelerate the change to alternative fuel urban public transportation in around 10 years, ETAC has recommended that no additional diesel city buses be added to the fleet in metropolitan areas.
The panel has also suggested a push for using electric buses through initiatives like government procurement.
The Goals and Objectives of The Government on EV adaptation in 2023
Several indicators suggest that India may see a considerable increase in EV sales. First off, there is a rise in customer demand for EVs, which is being fueled by rising sustainable development concerns and a need for more environmentally friendly means of transportation. Furthermore, the Indian government has been encouraging EV adoption through incentives, including discounts on EV purchases, tax advantages, and the development of a reliable infrastructure for charging.
The Indian government has started several programs to promote EV use, including the Faster Adoption and Production of Electric Vehicles (FAME) plan, which offers EV purchasers and producers advantages. These incentives will probably lead to increased consumer appetite and market expansion.
The general scenario for EV adoption across India is expected to be favorable due to increasing consumer interest, government incentives, and battery technology improvements. Additionally, the ambitious goal of the Indian government to achieve 30% electric vehicles by 2030 would stimulate the EV industry, resulting in increased growth and acceptance in the upcoming years.
The year 2023 will see an ongoing expansion of the charging networks regarding the number of stations and the charge rate. Several other charging networks could launch soon thanks to investments made by private businesses and collaboration between the public and private sectors in constructing the equipment. Electric transportation will become more realistic due to greater availability and simplicity of refueling for EV owners.
Response from the Ministry of Natural Gas and Petroleum
The ministry stated that the MoPNG had gained a report from the Renewable Energy Transition Advisory Council, or ETAC. India’s government has not yet formally accepted the ETAC findings.
- According to the report, India intends to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. It also mentioned that ETAC’s suggestions for a switch to low-carbon energy are comprehensive and far-reaching. ETAC looks to the future.
- The recommendations of ETAC apply to several ministries and participants, notably states. On the report, discussions with various parties have not yet begun. The ETAC guidelines are still up for debate.
- The Ministry of Natural Gas and Petroleum has established the Energy Transition Committee of Advisors to help boost the proportion of renewable energy sources. Hydrogen, biofuels, nuclear energy, geothermal electricity, and tidal power are renewable energy sources in the nation.
- The group of experts was established to aid India in achieving its 2070 net-zero emission goal. The group hopes to produce a blueprint for the energy transformation within six months. The group will suggest creating these plans and designing transitional strategies for oil businesses.
- India said it will achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 at the Leaders Conference on Climate. The Energy Transition advisory group will look at and implement strategies to reach the net-zero emission objective.
- To do this, the oil firms requested that they devise plans to increase the amount of energy from renewable sources in their portfolios. To help the transportation sector switch to renewable energy sources, Bharti Petroleum, Indian Oil, with Hindustan Petroleum, recently launched a joint endeavor to deploy 22,000 charging stations across India.
- In 2022, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) increased by over 60% globally, setting a new record. Improved model options, longer-lasting automobile batteries, government incentives, and high oil costs are a few variables that led to this expansion.
- It would require decades to fully energize every vehicle on roadways at the current rate, even though EV sales are only approximately 14% of all sales of new automobiles, despite their rapid increase. Governments need to take considerably more action to promote and prepare for EV adoption.
In the upcoming years, the widespread acceptance of EVs will continue to increase thanks to technological developments, battery infrastructure, and price. With each variable acting in concert, the EV industry will undoubtedly experience a significant uptick shortly.
Although EV sales are increasing, time continues to run out. For cities and nations to achieve net-zero targets, many more vehicles must be on the road. While manufacturers continue reducing prices and increasing range, communities can play a role by promoting the use and ensuring that all citizens and tourists have access to infrastructures.
