In another push towards high ethanol use in transport fuels, the Centre has notified a fuel standard for petrol blended with 30 per cent ethanol.
According to a Gazette notification last week, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified specifications for E22, E25, E27 and E30 fuel blends.
The notification stated that standards cover "admixture of anhydrous ethanol and motor gasoline for usage in the positive ignition engine-powered vehicles".
The step is seen as a preparation for the next phase of the ethanol blending programme after the implementation of the E20 variant.
The E20 target was 2030, but the government advanced it to 2025-26. While industry bodies and biofuel manufacturers have advocated moving towards E22 and beyond, citing surplus ethanol availability and a need to reduce import dependence, consumers have raised concerns about decreased efficiency, mileage, and strict compliance requirements for even non-compatible engines.
The BIS notification does not mean that the variant will be available with 30 per cent ethanol immediately or mandatorily, but an approval that would form a base for automakers, oil companies, and regulators to design and build engines, regulate pricing and blends to make it a market reality.
This decision comes at a time when the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US has not only caused crude oil prices to skyrocket but has also created a major supply crisis.
Ethanol-powered vehicles have also been developed
Currently, India is the world's largest importer of crude oil. The government has been working to reduce crude oil imports and increase the use of ethanol.
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According to media reports, automobile manufacturers are developing flex-fuel vehicles that can run on multiple ethanol blends, and several companies are already testing or demonstrating such models in the domestic market.