Ethanol Blending

Fuel blending beyond E20 only via flex-fuel vehicles, says Tarun Kapoor

Says E20 works well and marginal decline in efficiency compensated by higher octane value

Govt should adopt flexible approach to ethanol-blending programme: ICRIER

The government should be flexible with its Ethanol Blended Petrol programme, maintaining the E20 target as a long-term goal while allowing for a temporary reduction to E15 when domestic ethanol availability is insufficient, according to a research paper from ICRIER. The paper, titled Food vs Fuel: Recalibrating India's Ethanol Blending Strategy, said the choice between maintaining E20, importing ethanol and temporarily reducing blending should ultimately depend on their relative economic costs under prevailing conditions. "Such a mechanism would allow the programme to respond to temporary agricultural shocks without compromising the longer-term objective, the paper co-authored by agricultural economist Ashok Gulati said. India has rapidly expanded its Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. Ethanol is produced from agricultural commodities such as sugarcane, maize and surplus rice. "The final safeguard should be flexibility in the blending rate itself. "The 20 per cent target can

Alternative fuels zoom past petrol in share of PV sales: Fada data

This comes at a time when customers are raising concerns over the E20 (20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol blended) fuel

Blended fuel and BJP's mileage

While EBP may be a great idea, it needed three to four years of preparation. Now, the result is a sugar shortage, imports that are bleeding foreign exchange, and higher prices in the festive season

Sugar and the politics over price: Import order fuels ethanol debate

Govt's sugar import order sparks debate over ethanol diversion and exports amid a perceived supply shortage

Can India sell E10 alongside E20? The logistics challenge explained

As E20 becomes the nationwide petrol blend, the question is whether India's existing fuel network can accommodate E10 alongside it. Here's what experts have to say

CEA calls for E10 petrol option alongside E20 amid consumer concerns

E20 - petrol with 20% ethanol blended in it - was rolled out last year and since April 1, it has been the only fuel available for sale ‌at gas stations across the country

Carmakers discussed E20 contamination risks before public retreat: Report

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

Good policy needs good process: Lessons for Modi government's reforms

Lessons from ethanol blending in petrol and levying a fee on digital payments should not be ignored

Govt mulls curbing use of cane for ethanol to tame record-high sugar prices

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

Only 4 cases of ethanol contamination reported so far, says Hardeep Puri

Of 2,000 fuel samples collected each day, only 4 cases of fuel contamination have been reported so far, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri noted

E20 petrol meets quality norms, say OMCs after nationwide fuel tests

State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) said on Friday that additional nationwide testing of E20 petrol found no evidence to support claims of high moisture or chloride contamination, with fuel quality remaining within prescribed limits across the supply chain. The intensified testing followed recent media reports alleging the presence of moisture and chloride in E20 (20 per cent ethanol blended petrol). Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) in a joint statement said the exercise covered the entire supply chain and reaffirmed that fuel quality remained "consistently well within prescribed limits". "Contrary to certain assertions being made, there is no evidence of any alarm on account of fuel contamination validated by extensive and scientifically designed tests," the companies said. The three OMCs said the government has prescribed stringent chloride specifications for ethanol used in petrol blending a

India's ethanol blending drive backed by science: Brazil trade minister

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

Siam's E20 U-turn deepens debate over fuel quality and vehicle safety

The industry body first flagged chloride contamination and vehicle-part failures, but later withdrew its letter as India's ethanol policy became a wider political and commercial issue

No commitments relating to ethanol import from US under FTA talks: Govt

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

No proposal to blend ethanol with ATF, says Civil Aviation Minister Naidu

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

Kejriwal accuses Centre of forcing Siam to withdraw report on ethanol

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

Siam withdraws letter flagging concern over contamination of E20 fuel

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 ...

No policy to incentivise flex-fuel vehicles beyond E20: Government

The Ministry of Heavy Industries on Tuesday said it has not formulated any separate phased national policy to incentivise flex-fuel vehicles operating on fuel blended with "more than 20 per cent ethanol". The Heavy Industries Ministry also stated that it has not conducted any study regarding incentivization of flex-fuel and electric vehicles. The Centre has defended its ethanol blending programme, saying extensive testing and large-scale field experience had found no evidence that E20 (blended with 20 per cent ethanol) petrol causes abnormal engine wear, corrosion or reduced vehicle life. It has also argued that the programme has strengthened India's energy security and helped cushion consumers from global oil price volatility. "The government has adopted a balanced approach to the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, ensuring that water sustainability, food security and farmers' interests remain paramount," the ministry said. Under the National Policy on Biofuels, ethanol is .

Police stops Kejriwal, AAP leaders' march to PM residence over E20 fuel

Delhi Police on Tuesday stopped AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and other party leaders from marching towards the Prime Minister's residence with around 100 people to submit over 2.30 lakh petitions against E20 petrol, prompting them to stage a protest on Firoz Shah Road. Kejriwal, along with former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, AAP leader Jasmine Shah and other party leaders, sat on the road after being stopped by the police. The AAP had begun the march with around 100 people to submit the petitions, collected from people across the country, against the government's policy of promoting E20 petrol, alleging that the ethanol-blended fuel was adversely affecting vehicle owners. Addressing supporters before the march, Kejriwal said the party was carrying more than 2.30 lakh petitions signed by people from across the country and urged the government to listen to the concerns of crores of vehicle owners. "We are going to the Prime Minister's residence with over 2.30