# Ethanol-blended diesel fails safety test, says government 2026-08-10T18:21:57+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The government has informed Parliament that ethanol-blended diesel fails mandatory safety specifications due to a drastic reduction in the fuel's flash point, effectively ruling out its wider use for now. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi stated that scientific evaluations by public-sector oil companies and accredited labs found the blend unsafe. The admission comes as India pushes to expand ethanol use beyond petrol, where 20 per cent blending is already nationwide, and explores ethanol as a cooking fuel to cut LPG imports. State-run oil firms received offers for 17.6 billion litres of ethanol against their tender for 10.5 billion litres for 2025-26, indicating robust supply. However, no decision has been taken to increase ethanol blending in petrol beyond 20 per cent without further studies and consultations. The government is also examining ethanol as a cooking fuel alternative, with the LPG Equipment Research Centre developing solutions. The industry body IFGE argues that India needs both ethanol and EVs, noting that 300 million internal combustion engine vehicles remain on the roads. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - timesnownews.com Tags: clean mobility, diesel blending, E20, ethanol, flashpoint, safety Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/government-rules-out-ethanol-diesel-blend-after-safety-test-fails/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/government-rules-out-ethanol-diesel-blend-after-safety-test-fails/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.