What happened
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has released FAQs on the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme to answer concerns about E20, vehicle compatibility, fuel economy and pricing. The clarification argues that India’s ethanol blending pathway has been phased, consultative and linked to energy security, farmer welfare and lower lifecycle emissions.
Background and earlier position
India’s ethanol blending policy did not begin with the present phase of implementation. The release says a pilot programme started in 2001, ethanol blending was formally announced in 2004, and E5 was rolled out across several States by 2006. The policy framework was notified in the Gazette of India in January 2013.
The release says India’s early target was 5% blending across 10 States and Union Territories, but blending remained around 1.5% until 2014 because ethanol production capacity was limited and depended heavily on sugarcane. To expand supply, the Government launched the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 and built a multi-ministry framework for feedstocks, logistics, technology support, demand certainty and investment.
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