In August, ethanol blending in petrol reached 15.8%, while cumulative ethanol blending from November 2023 to August 2024 was 13.6%.
As of September 1, 2024, 16,059 out of 82,617 total PSU retail outlets are dispensing E20 ethanol-blended petrol.
Official data shows that in August 2024, PSU Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) received 65.3 crore liters of ethanol under the Ethanol Blending Program (EBP), and 526.6 crore liters from November 2023 to August 2024. During August 2024, 66.0 crore liters of ethanol were blended, with a total of 545.0 crore liters blended from November 2023 to August 2024.
The government has set a target of achieving 20% ethanol blending with petrol.
According to the Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), India’s ethanol production capacity has increased from 518 crore liters in 2017-18 to 1,623 crore liters in 2023-24 (as of August 31, 2024), reflecting the government’s commitment to a greener future.
Recently, the government has permitted sugar mills and distilleries to produce ethanol from sugarcane juice, B-Heavy Molasses, and C-Heavy Molasses during the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024-25. Additionally, a previous ban has been lifted, allowing the sale of up to 23 lakh tonnes of rice from Food Corporation of India (FCI) stocks to grain-based ethanol distilleries. This move is expected to significantly boost ethanol production.
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