Government's Cautious Approach to Ethanol-Diesel Blending

The Indian government has announced that the blending of ethanol with diesel is still at an experimental stage. There are no immediate plans to mandate this blend due to issues such as deposit formation in fuel tanks and other stability concerns, according to Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The Indian government stated on Monday that blending ethanol with diesel is still in the experimental phase, with no current plans to mandate it. Initial tests revealed issues like the formation of deposits in fuel tanks, as disclosed by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, addressing a supplementary question in the Rajya Sabha.

Minister Puri elaborated that oil marketing companies have tested ethanol blends of up to 7%, in collaboration with the Automotive Research Association of India and select original equipment manufacturers. These tests indicated a reduction in flashpoint to 15 degrees Celsius with a 5% ethanol blend, raising concerns over material compatibility and fuel stability.

The minister noted significant progress in ethanol-petrol blending, which has now reached 20%. However, he stressed the need for caution with diesel blending, underscoring further testing and addressing issues of stability and safety. India's current ethanol production capacity stands at 1,364 crore litres, sufficient to meet its blending targets.