New Delhi: The Centre has not taken any decision to increase ethanol blending in petrol beyond 20 percent, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed the Rajya Sabha Monday.
In a written reply to a starred question by Biju Janata Dal MP Santrupt Misra, Puri said India achieved the 20 percent ethanol blending target five years ahead of the original 2030 deadline.
The clarification comes amid growing concerns over the ethanol blended petrol (EBP) programme, particularly its impact on vehicle compatibility, food security, and water usage. Last month, the government also launched E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol) at select pumps for flex-fuel vehicles (which have modified internal combustion engines designed to run on gasoline or any blend of gasoline and ethanol), signalling its continued push towards greater use of ethanol-based fuels.
However, Puri said any move to raise the blending level beyond 20 percent would be taken only after detailed studies and consultations.
“Future rollout of a higher ethanol blending level will be undertaken only after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, ethanol producers, feedstock suppliers, and research institutions,” Puri stated.
He added, “The decision will be based on technical feasibility, scientific validation, and compliance with safety, environmental, and vehicle standards.”
Puri said the EBP programme has resulted in foreign exchange savings of Rs 1,97,916 crore and generated an estimated Rs 1,66,181 crore in farmers’ income between Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2014-15 and ESY 2025-26 (up to June 2026).
The Ethanol Supply Year runs from 1 November to 31 October of the following year.
According to the minister, the government programme has also helped substitute 316.95 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil and reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by 952.43 lakh metric tonnes.
“The Government has been promoting ethanol blending with petrol under the EBP programme with multiple objectives, which inter alia include foreign exchange savings, increasing farmers’ income, environmental benefits such as CO2 reduction, and crude oil substitution,” Puri stated.
Puri said ethanol is produced under the National Policy on Biofuels using a range of feedstocks, including sugarcane-based raw materials, damaged foodgrains, broken rice, foodgrains unfit for human consumption, maize and agricultural residues.
Responding to concerns over food security, he said the programme uses only surplus agricultural produce. “Only surplus quantities, as determined and permitted by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under the approved policy framework are utilised for ethanol production,” he stated.
On water usage, Puri said modern ethanol distilleries consume about 3-5 litres of processed water to produce one litre of ethanol and operate with zero liquid discharge systems to minimise freshwater use and eliminate liquid effluent discharge.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: India’s fuel story shouldn’t come at the cost of food security