<h1>India Targets Over 20% Ethanol Blending with Petrol, Aims for Net-Zero Fossil Fuel by 2045</h1> India plans to increase ethanol blending with petrol to over 20%, having already achieved 19.6%. A committee under NITI Aayog is working on this initiative. The country currently uses 1,500 crore liters of its 1,700 crore liter blending capacity. With fuel imports costing USD 150 billion, the focus is also on reducing green hydrogen prices to USD 2.5 to encourage a shift from traditional fuels. India aims for net-zero fossil fuel production by 2045 and foresees an increase in crude consumption to 6.5-7 million barrels daily. Exploration efforts include opening 1 million sq km under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme.