Govt permits blending of synthetic hydrocarbons with aviation turbine fuel

India has expanded ATF norms to allow blending with synthetic hydrocarbons, supporting alternate fuels and reducing reliance on crude imports amid energy concerns

The government has allowed blending of synthetic or man-made hydrocarbons such as ethanol in aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, amid a push for the use of alternate fuels in the wake of the energy crisis triggered by the West Asia conflict.

 

The government has amended the Aviation Turbine Fuel (Regulation of Marketing) Order, 2001, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to broaden the definition of ATF to include blends with synthetic hydrocarbons.

 

According to the government notification, ATF is now defined as a complex mixture of hydrocarbons conforming to IS 1571 specification or its blend with synthesised hydrocarbons as specified in IS 17081. The revised definition allows blending of alternate fuels such as ethanol with jet fuel.

   

In India, jet fuel is typically produced from crude oil. As India faces an energy supply crisis due to the West Asia conflict, the government has introduced measures to boost the use of alternate fuels with the aim of reducing reliance on energy imports.

 

India aims to blend 1 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with jet fuel for international flights by 2027, rising to 2 per cent by 2028 and 5 per cent by 2030 in line with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) mandate. However, there are no blending targets for domestic flights as of now.

 

SAF is a fuel made from non-petroleum products, including ethanol, which has similar properties to jet fuel but with a much lower carbon footprint.

 

The latest government notification also updates enforcement provisions to apply search and seizure rules under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.