India eyes 27% ethanol blending in petrol

The central government is planning to raise ethanol blending in petrol to 27 percent, with a high-level committee likely to meet this week to finalise the roadmap, say media reports. The move is backed by India’s success in achieving its 20 percent ethanol blending target six years ahead of schedule, largely driven by ethanol derived from sugarcane byproducts like molasses.

The government has already directed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to formulate specifications for ‘E-27’ fuel. Additionally, discussions are underway to explore ethanol blending in diesel, signalling a broader push toward cleaner fuels.

This milestone comes after the March 2025 rollout of a new scheme for cooperative sugar mills to convert sugarcane-based units into multi-feed ethanol plants, enabling greater flexibility and scalability in production.