Alternative fuels for decarbonisation of road transport sector in India: Options, present status, opportunities, and challenges

Rapid economic development and increasing population are contributing to growing energy demand in India. Road transport sector, almost fully dependent on petroleum oil, is the third highest user of the total final energy in India. More than four-fifth of crude petroleum is imported, which is responsible for nearly one-fifth of country's import bill. India's share of the global energy related CO2 emissions was about 7% in 2018, of which about 13% was caused by the transport sector. With a view of decarbonising the road transport sector and also addressing issues concerning energy efficiency, energy security, air quality and transport induced noise, alternative fuels have been explored in India for about two decades. This paper reviews policy support and related developments regarding biofuels, compressed natural gas, methanol, electricity, and hydrogen for automotive applications in India with a brief mention about international progress. The opportunities for their growth by 2030 and challenges to realise the potential are also analysed. Biofuels and electricity can offer significant opportunities for decarbonising the road transport sector in the near term. Compressed natural gas in short term and hydrogen in medium and long term may also play important roles in this regard.

Automated summary

Rapid economic development and increasing population in India are driving up energy demand, with the road transport sector heavily reliant on petroleum oil. This has led to a significant portion of crude petroleum being imported, contributing to the country's import bill. Research in alternative fuels such as biofuels and electricity could offer opportunities for decarbonising the road transport sector in the near term, while compressed natural gas and hydrogen may also play important roles in the medium to long term.