India’s ethanol production exceeds E20 requirement, govt seeks new uses: PM Advisor Tarun Kapoor

India’s ethanol production has gone beyond what is currently required for petrol blending, and the government is now looking to expand the market for ethanol through flex-fuel vehicles and other applications, Prime Minister’s Advisor Tarun Kapoor said.

“The production of ethanol has gone beyond our imagination,” Kapoor said, adding that production is now more than what is required for blending.

He said the government would look for more uses of ethanol in various forms, including higher blending through flex-fuel vehicles. India has achieved its E20 blending target, but the next focus would be on flexible-fuel vehicles that can use ethanol blends of more than 20%, Kapoor said.

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Kapoor also said the availability of higher-purity ethanol fuels at petrol stations would need to expand alongside the rollout of flex-fuel vehicles.

Beyond transport, the government is also looking at ethanol blending in cooking, industry and other possible applications, he said.

Kapoor said the government is fully committed to promoting biofuels and wants the market to grow so that the capacity created through investments in the sector does not face demand-related challenges.

He also called for greater use of other biofuels, including biodiesel and compressed biogas, to expand the country’s overall biofuel market.

Kapoor said the government would also like to see ethanol producers explore additional products such as compressed biogas, while maximising value addition from biofuel production.