The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Ron Lamberty joined the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) at the India Auto Expo last week, Asia’s largest automotive show, to promote ethanol implementation across the country. Lamberty was also invited to speak about the U.S.’s experience and use of ethanol during the first edition of the co-located International Symposium for Thriving Eco-Energy in Mobility (STEM) event in a session about how biofuels are a boon for the Indian sustainability roadmap.
“India has an air quality emergency and is following the science which shows the best and fastest way to improve air quality is to add more ethanol,” Lamberty said. “They’ve gone from almost zero ethanol to 10 percent in only a few years and have a goal of 20 percent nationwide by 2025.”
“In my remarks I said I was a little bit jealous to see the Indian government, the auto manufacturers, and the oil industry all supporting the 20 percent standard,” Lamberty added. “They all agree because something has to be done now, and unlike in the U.S., where ethanol has been reducing smog and pollution for decades, India doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring what works while hoping another platform can provide relief sometime in the distant future.”
Lamberty thanked the USGC for inviting ACE to sponsor and take part in the event and praised their efforts to promote ethanol at the Auto Expo. “The USGC staff put together a massive, attention-grabbing trade show display space that attracted a lot of people, and provided information about how ethanol is made, how it gets to stations, the equipment used to sell it, and even an FFV converted by EFlexFuel,” he said. “I enjoyed working with the Grains Council staff and interns, our friends at RFA, Growth Energy, IRFA, and some corn grower groups, as well as meeting people the Grains Council is working with in India and providing information for others who wanted to learn more about ethanol.”
India recently achieved an ethanol fuel blending target of 10 percent ahead of schedule, a milestone on its way to reaching E20 by 2025. As the Government of India pushes to reach its E20 target, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has been tasked with leading the promotion and eventual implementation of the ethanol blend mandate, as well as transitioning their fleet to FFVs. To achieve these goals, SIAM has partnered with the USGC. Part of this partnership has resulted in a large, physical presence at the Auto Expo via the Ethanol Pavilion, which is featured at the event to showcase the environmental, economic, and technological benefits of ethanol for the nation.
Previously, Lamberty has joined the USGC at several retailer workshops in Mexico to educate marketers about adding ethanol blends in that market and co-led a tour in 2019 with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association in conjunction with the USGC for key Mexican retail and supplier groups to see how ethanol blends have been successfully and profitably incorporated across Iowa.