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Ethanol-blended diesel failed required security specs as a result of the addition of ethanol sharply lowered the gas’s flash level, Minister of State for Petroleum and Pure Gasoline Suresh Gopi mentioned on Monday (August 10, 2026), successfully ruling out the gas for wider use except the technical subject is resolved.
Public-sector oil advertising and marketing firms performed scientific evaluations of ethanol mixing with diesel by their analysis and improvement centres, in collaboration with accredited laboratories and vehicle producers, Mr. Gopi mentioned in a written reply to Parliament.
The assessments discovered that ethanol-blended diesel didn’t meet the required diesel flash-point specification as a result of the flash level fell sharply within the presence of ethanol, he mentioned.
“Scientific evaluations on mixing of ethanol with diesel have been undertaken by Public Sector Oil Advertising Corporations (OMCs) by their respective R&D centres in collaboration with accredited laboratories and vehicle producers. It was noticed that ethanol blended diesel was not assembly diesel flash level as its flash level lowered drastically as a result of presence of ethanol,” he mentioned.
The discovering comes as India seeks to develop using ethanol as a transport gas and discover new shops for rising home manufacturing. The federal government has to this point targeted its ethanol mixing programme on petrol and has set a goal of 20% mixing.
Requested about mixing isobutanol in diesel, the Minister mentioned, “Isobutanol is presently not being blended with diesel.”
Mr. Gopi mentioned no determination has been taken to lift ethanol mixing in petrol past 20%. Any future enhance could be thought-about solely after detailed scientific and technical research and consultations with vehicle producers, oil advertising and marketing firms and analysis establishments.
State-run oil advertising and marketing firms floated their first tender in September 2025 to acquire about 10.5 billion litres of ethanol for the 2025-26 ethanol provide yr. They obtained provides for practically 17.6 billion litres, about 68% greater than the amount sought, and have allotted 10.485 billion litres to 378 registered suppliers.
The federal government can also be analyzing ethanol as a possible cooking gas, which might assist cut back India’s dependence on imported liquefied petroleum fuel whereas making use of surplus home ethanol manufacturing capability.
“The usage of ethanol as a cooking gas could emerge because the potential biofuel various to fossil gas based mostly cooking answer which can assist in discount of LPG import dependence and supply clear cooking answer. This may increasingly additionally allow efficient utilization of surplus ethanol manufacturing capability within the nation,” he mentioned. “The initiative is aligned with the Authorities’s broader goal of selling cleaner and various cooking gas choices.”
The LPG Gear Analysis Centre, a three way partnership of Indian Oil Corp., Hindustan Petroleum Corp., and Bharat Petroleum Corp., together with public-sector oil advertising and marketing firms, is creating ethanol-based clear cooking options, Mr. Gopi mentioned.
The federal government has launched a number of measures to help home ethanol manufacturing, together with interest-subvention schemes, help for cooperative sugar mills to transform current sugarcane-based distilleries into multi-feedstock crops, and long-term offtake agreements between oil advertising and marketing firms and devoted ethanol producers.
Revealed – August 10, 2026 08:19 pm IST
