Ethanol-blended diesel fails safety tests as flash point drops sharply

Synopsis

Ethanol-blended diesel failed safety specifications, which sharply lowered its flash point. This technical issue effectively rules out wider use of the fuel. India seeks to expand ethanol use as a transport fuel and explore new outlets. The government is also examining ethanol as a potential cooking fuel alternative. This initiative aligns with promoting cleaner cooking fuel options.

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Ethanol-blended diesel failed the required safety specifications as the addition of ethanol sharply reduced the fuel’s flash point, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said on Monday.

Public-sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) conducted scientific assessments of ethanol blending with diesel through their research and development centres, in association with accredited laboratories and automobile manufacturers, Gopi said in a written reply to Parliament.

Also read: India considers curbing use of sugarcane for ethanol to tame record-high sugar market

The evaluations found that ethanol-blended diesel did not meet the required diesel flash-point specification because the flash point dropped significantly in the presence of ethanol.

Asked whether isobutanol was being blended with diesel, Gopi said it is “presently not being blended with diesel”.

The government has not taken any decision to increase ethanol blending in petrol beyond the existing 20% target, he said. Any increase would be considered after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with automobile manufacturers, OMCs and research institutions.

State-run OMCs floated their first tender in September 2025 to procure around 10.5 billion litres of ethanol for the 2025-26 ethanol supply year. They received offers for nearly 17.6 billion litres, around 68% more than the quantity sought, and allocated 10.485 billion litres to 378 registered suppliers.

Also read: Ethanol could soon make its way to Indian kitchens

The government is also examining the use of ethanol as a cooking fuel, which could help reduce dependence on imported liquefied petroleum gas and utilise surplus domestic ethanol production capacity, Gopi said.

He said ethanol-based cooking fuel could emerge as a biofuel alternative to fossil-fuel-based cooking solutions and provide a clean cooking option while helping reduce LPG import dependence.

The LPG Equipment Research Centre, a joint venture of Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp, along with public-sector OMCs, is working on developing ethanol-based clean cooking alternatives, he said.

The government has also introduced measures to support domestic ethanol production, including interest-subvention schemes, assistance for cooperative sugar mills to convert existing sugarcane-based distilleries into multi-feedstock plants, and long-term offtake agreements between OMCs and dedicated ethanol producers.

(With inputs from PTI)