Latest Updates on Ethanol E20

Sugar prices remained above Rs 60 per kg in most retail markets across the country on Sunday, despite several steps taken by the government to check the price rise, according to official data. The Consumer Affairs Ministry data showed that the all-India average retail price of sugar was Rs 64.24 per kg on Sunday, up 1.77 per cent from Rs 63.12 per kg a week earlier. The current price is 30 per cent higher than a month ago and 38.63 per cent higher than the same period last year. The maximum retail price recorded was Rs 74 per kg, while the minimum was Rs 40 per kg, as on August 30. City-wise, retail sugar was selling at Rs 62 per kg in Delhi, Rs 66 per kg in Mumbai, Rs 63 per kg in Chennai and Rs 68 per kg in Ranchi. Wholesale prices also stayed firm at Rs 59.73 per kg, up 31 per cent month-on-month and 38.63 per cent year-on-year. price was Rs 58.66 per kg a week ago. The elevated retail and wholesale prices come even as ex-mill rates have declined nearly 20 per cent following the

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on August 31 seeking a directive to the Centre and others to ensure mandatory and uniform labelling on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps, disclosing the exact percentage of ethanol in petrol. According to the apex court's causelist of August 31, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale. The petition, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has also sought a direction that every fuel invoice should specifically and legibly state the percentage of ethanol in the petrol sold. "Direct the respondents (Centre and others) to prepare and publish within a stipulated time an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture, indicating the suitability or otherwise of various ethanol blends for each vehicle," the plea said. It has also sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising ...

Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), India's second largest fuel retailer, on Thursday said there is no decision to replace E20 petrol with E10, clarifying that the current debate is over whether older vehicles should have access to a lower-ethanol blend and how an additional grade of petrol could be supplied across India's vast fuel-distribution network. In a media call post the company's annual shareholder meeting, BPCL Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Khanna, however, said he saw no operational or logistical challenge in switching from E20 petrol to E10 if the government decides to change the ethanol-blending policy. "I never said that E20 will be changed to E10," he said, adding that it was being debated in some circles whether older vehicles should have an option of lower-ethanol blend fuel. "That doesn't mean E20 will be out and E10 will be in," he said. His comments come amid a wider policy discussion over whether owners of older vehicles should have access to E10 petrol,

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Clean energy firm plans five bio-refineries through 2030, with projects in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh using a range of feedstocks

Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra discussed concerns over chloride and moisture in E20 fuel even as the industry publicly backed the government's ethanol rollout

Mills diverted about 3 million metric tonnes of sugar, or around 10 per cent of total output, to ethanol production during the current year ending in September

Brazil's trade minister says India's ethanol blending programme is based on scientific research, while highlighting opportunities to expand crude oil exports and biofuel cooperation

The government on Thursday said no concessions or commitments relating to the import of ethanol for fuel blending from the US have been made in the India-US trade pact discussions. India's fuel blending programme and ethanol procurement continue to be governed solely by the country's domestic policy requirements, the commerce and industry ministry said in a statement. It said that recent claims in the media suggesting that India is importing and intends to import large quantities of ethanol from the US for fuel blending are baseless and factually incorrect. As per the domestic policy framework, it said, ethanol used for fuel blending under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol Programme is sourced entirely from domestic producers. There is no import of ethanol for fuel blending from the US, it added. "No concessions or commitments relating to the import of ethanol for fuel blending from the U.S. have been made in the India-US trade discussions. Accordingly, any suggestion of a policy ch

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said there is no proposal to blend ethanol with Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) and that spreading misinformation on aviation safety creates needless anxiety among air travellers. His comments come against the backdrop of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claiming that the central government was planning to blend ethanol in ATF. "Sources indicate that the Modi government plans to mix ethanol in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Experts say that this could seriously compromise the safety of flights," Kejriwal said in a post on X. Naidu said the claim that the government plans to blend ethanol with ATF is completely false and irresponsible and added that there is no such proposal. "Spreading misinformation on aviation safety only creates needless anxiety among air travellers. Passenger safety remains the Government's highest priority," the minister said in a post on X. Elaborating, Naidu said ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The AAP chief claimed the government was promoting ethanol under US pressure, while the BJP cited SIAM's clarification to reject allegations of misinformation over E20 fuel quality

Auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has withdrawn a letter written to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that had flagged concerns over contamination of E20 fuel that caused problems with vehicles citing the need for further authentication. In a statement, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said the "communication in question" was part of routine and ongoing technical deliberations that take place between various stakeholders, including industry bodies, oil marketing companies, auto OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and testing agencies. "Some numbers quoted in the communication need authentication through collection of elaborate data from various regions across the country followed by a comprehensive consultation with our member OEMs," the auto industry body said. It further said, "The referred numbers reported in the media need authentication as mentioned above and therefore SIAM is withdrawing its earlier ...

Suppliers without long-term offtake agreements will be treated on a par with other bidders under the interim arrangement accepted by the Supreme Court

The government has approved ₹4,687 crore in interest subsidies for ethanol projects and released ₹2,075 crore to Nabard since FY23 to support capacity expansion

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday demanded the government give the option to choose between pure petrol and E20 at fuel pumps and announced a march to the prime minister's residence on August 4 to submit petitions. Addressing a town hall style meeting on E20 fuel at the Constitution Club of India here, Kejriwal said he would collect petitions at noon on Monday and lead a march to Narendra Modi's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg with around 100 people. Kejriwal demanded that consumers be allowed to choose between E20 and regular petrol at fuel stations, and demanded lower prices for E20 mixed petrol, and a cut in petrol prices. The former Delhi chief minister also urged the government to make public the report that it cited to claim that E20 does not damage vehicles. "The Centre says studies have been conducted and E20 does not harm vehicles. I want them to share that report," he said. People from across states attended the event and shared their ...

Demand for 100-octane petrol has surged, particularly in Delhi, as social media claims over E20-related vehicle damage prompt more motorists to switch fuels

The Centre said surplus rice diverted for ethanol is allocated only after meeting food security needs and buffer stock norms, while maize output remains adequate for all uses

Union minister Nitin Gadkari said only some BS-III vehicles made before 2016 may need rubber parts and gaskets replaced when operated on E20 petrol, with no major impact on performance

India's ethanol story has largely revolved around E20 petrol, but from aviation and industry to clean cooking, the biofuel is finding new applications that could shape its next phase

India has achieved its ambitious E20 petrol target, becoming the world's second-largest ethanol blender. But here's the surprising part: the country is still importing hundreds of millions of dollars'