The central government is targeting achieving 20 per cent ethanol-blending with petrol by 2023 in order to cut down the country’s reliance on expensive imports of oil.

Earlier, the objective to secure 10 per cent ethanol-blending in petrol was fixed to be realized by 2022 whereas 2030 was set to be the goal for 20 per cent blending. The latter’s target was then revised to 2025 and now it has been further fast-tracked to April 2023.

“The Central Government hereby directs that the oil companies shall sell ethanol-blended petrol with a percentage of ethanol up to 20 per cent as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications, in the whole of the States and union territories,” the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural officially stated through a gazette notification, as reported by the Indian Express.

India is considering having 10 per cent ethanol-blending with gasoline in the present ethanol supply year that started off in October.

Around 4 billion litres of ethanol will be required to attain the necessitated 10 per cent mixing ratio. This demand will shoot up to 10 billion litres of the same to meet the 20 per cent target by 2023.

Six million tonnes of surplus sugar will be delivered by the sugar industry to produce seven billion litres of ethanol as the remaining amount of the organic chemical compound will be manufactured from the excess quantity of grains.