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Ethanol-blended diesel fails safety test, says government
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The air is thick with claims that ethanol blending is a silver bullet for energy independence, but the government's own admission that ethanol-blended diesel fails safety tests punctures that balloon. The flash point issue is a stark technical reality, not a conspiracy by oil companies. The narrative of a seamless transition to green fuels collides with the fact that 300 million ICE vehicles remain. The real test, ignored by cheerleaders, is how India will retrofit existing engines or manage a dual-fuel transition. Will the government mandate expensive engine modifications for commercial transport, or quietly shelve diesel blending? That answer, not the ethanol output numbers, will define the policy's credibility.
Sources (3): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2), timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
