Latest updates, press releases and industry highlights
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification proposing to recognise E100 (or 100% ethanol) as an approved automotive fuel, clearing the way for certification and large-scale production of vehicles capable of running entirely on ethanol.
Experts believe Govt recognising E100 and E85 as primary fuels is the end of the regulatory roadblock; however, flags demand, infra and the real consumer side are missing. Details here.
As crude supply risks rise amid the West Asia conflict, India is preparing to move beyond E20 towards E85 flex-fuel vehicles, but concerns around fuel efficiency, pricing and ecosystem readiness could shape the pace of adoption.
In a letter to MEPs, Ursula von der Leyen says the EU will consider authorising increased blending of renewable ethanol in petrol to reduce dependence on foreign oil
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The government is working on a policy for the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles in the country as supply disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict highlight the importance of alternate fuels, said Sujata Sharma, joint secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), on Wednesday.
The industry argues the draft framework tilts heavily in favour of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids while underplaying ethanol-based solutions
The West Asia conflict has helped crystallise the government’s push towards higher ethanol blending in petrol in a bid to reduce crude oil import dependence with the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) emphasising that it is an idea whose time has come.
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The plans is to divert surplus ethanol capacity of about 1,000 crore litres towards cooking. A detailed paper is expected to be submitted to an inter-ministerial panel for a review in the coming weeks
The plans is to divert surplus ethanol capacity of about 1,000 crore litres towards cooking. A detailed paper is expected to be submitted to an inter-ministerial panel for a review in the coming weeks.
The war in the oil-rich Gulf region has revived discussions on reducing India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, with fresh industry pressure building for rationalisation of the goods and services tax (GST) for flex-fuel vehicles, sources said.
India ethanol boom is outpacing its automotive fleet. Flex-fuel vehicles are the urgent, indispensable bridge between abundant green fuel and real economic transformation.
Having over 43 years of experience in the sugar and ethanol industry, Vijendra Singh has managed sugar & ethanol businesses in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra in India, as well as in Brazil.
India is exploring ethanol as an alternative fuel for commercial kitchens as disruptions in LPG supply raise concerns over energy security. Industry bodies have proposed using surplus ethanol for cooking in hotels and restaurants. The move aims to reduce import dependence and manage rising fuel costs.
AIDA has written to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, urging it to enable the nationwide rollout of ethanol-based cooking as an alternative to LPG, citing rising surplus production and energy security concerns.
Policymakers and industry are exploring applications like ethanol-powered cooking stoves and diesel blends for generators, with pilot projects underway.
With her strong institutional understanding and extensive policy experience, she continues to advance AIDA’s mandate of fostering a sustainable, competitive, and growth-oriented distillery and ethanol ecosystem in India.
All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) has appointed Bharati Balaji as its Deputy Director General.
The association warned that ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the resulting upward pressure on oil prices could strain India’s energy security and economy.
The All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) has called for gradual acceleration of India’s ethanol blending programme, urging the government to raise the ethanol blending target from the current 20% to 30% and fast-track the rollout of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs).
India’s petroleum sector is actively exploring ethanol as a cleaner, domestically produced alternative for household cooking, with the aim of reducing heavy dependence on imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and expanding the country’s biofuel ecosystem.
All India Distillers Association (AIDA) has demanded that the government raise the ethanol blending mandate gradually from 20 to 30 per cent
The All India Distillers Association proposes increasing ethanol blends in fuel beyond 20%, aiming to cut crude oil imports and address economic challenges posed by rising oil prices. AIDA suggests mandates for higher ethanol use and support for flex-fuel vehicles and ethanol-based cooking solutions.
AIDA Deputy Director General Bharati Balaji said the ethanol industry was prepared to go beyond the E20 target already achieved by the country.
All India Distillers Association (AIDA) has demanded that the government raise the ethanol blending mandate gradually from 20 to 30 per cent
पश्चिम एशिया संकट और कच्चे तेल की बढ़ती कीमतों के बीच, ऑल इंडिया डिस्टिलर्स एसोसिएशन (एआईडीए) ने पेट्रोल में 20% से अधिक एथनॉल मिश्रण की आपूर्ति की पेशकश की है, ताकि कच्चे तेल पर भारत की आयात निर्भरता को कम किया जा सके। एसोसिएशन ने सरकार से मिश्रण सीमा को धीरे-धीरे 30% तक बढ़ाने और फ्लेक्स-ईंधन वाहनों को प्रोत्साहित करने का भी आग्रह किया है।
मिडिल ईस्ट में बढ़ते तनाव और कच्चे तेल की कीमतों में उछाल के बीच भारत के लिए राहत भरी खबर सामने आई है। देश की इथेनॉल इंडस्ट्री ने सरकार को एक बड़ा प्रस्ताव दिया है, जिससे न सिर्फ तेल संकट का असर कम होगा बल्कि अरबों रुपये की बचत भी हो सकती है।
पश्चिम एशिया तनाव के बीच एथेनॉल एक बड़ा विकल्प बनकर उभर रहा है. उद्योग ने 20% से ज्यादा ब्लेंडिंग की पेशकश की है, जिससे भारत का कच्चे तेल पर निर्भरता कम हो सकती है. इससे आयात बिल घटेगा और ऊर्जा संकट के असर को काफी हद तक कम किया जा सकता है.
Surplus ethanol capacity and rising geopolitical risks revive calls for higher blending targets as India weighs E30, flex fuels and even E50 to bolster energy security
As the global automotive industry faces a green ultimatum for heavy-duty transport, isobutanol emerges as a high-potential "drop-in" alternative that remains trapped in the shadow of ethanol.
The role of maize in India’s ethanol blending programme has strengthened considerably during the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024–25 (November-October), reflecting a clear shift in feedstock dynamics.
The All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) organised a roundtable with industry experts, technology providers and policy stakeholders, to discuss ‘What lies beyond E20? ‘
The All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) has called for ethanol–diesel blending to be considered as the next major step in India’s biofuel journey, positioning it as a practical solution to manage surplus ethanol while tapping into the country’s large diesel market.
India’s ethanol production capacity has doubled, paving the way for potential diesel blending after successful petrol blending, says All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA)
AIDA seeks GST cut on flex-fuel vehicles, expansion of ethanol dispensing infrastructure
Union Budget 2026 reflects a clear shift from capacity creation to market and demand de-risking for the bio-energy ecosystem. For the distillery and ethanol sector, the most significant regulatory signal is the continued policy emphasis on long-term blending certainty, feedstock diversification and supply-chain resilience, alongside support for energy security and domestic value chains.
LanzaTech Global Inc., a leader in industrial carbon recycling, has announced successful operational results at the municipal solid waste (MSW) to ethanol pilot plant in Kuji City, Iwate, Japan owned and operated by longstanding partner, SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (TSE: 4204) (SEKISUI). This 1/10th commercial scale facility, with the capacity to produce approximately 400 tons of ethanol per year, operated for nearly four years following mechanical completion in April 2022.
In 2026, whisky tourism is evolving into a full-fledged travel trend, with distilleries turning into immersive weekend destinations. From craft tours and ageing cellar stays to barrel ownership and cask auctions, brands like Sula, Rampur and leading Indian single malts are redefining how people experience whisky, focusing on storytelling, education and slow, meaningful indulgence.
The safe bet would have been a bustling city. But in 1969, Kailashpati Kedia turned away from metros and put everything in a distillery in Dhar, a quiet Tier-III town in Madhya Pradesh.“There’s nothing in Madhya Pradesh. Let’s go there and build something,” he had said. It was a move that would shape the future of alcobev company Great Galleon and the legacy that his grandson, Utsav Kedia, now leads.
India is positioning itself as a potential export hub for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), leveraging surplus ethanol capacity and lower carbon intensity compared to rivals like Brazil, according to Sameer Sinha, CEO (Sugar Business) of Triveni Engineering and Industries Ltd.
The American Biofuels Maritime Initiative (ABMI), a unified group of bioenergy stakeholders co-chaired by the Renewable Fuels Association and the American Biogas Council (ABC), announced its official launch today. The new group plans to work with President Trump’s Administration and Congress to establish strong policies that accelerate the use of American-made energy and biofuels in the global maritime sector – thereby establishing U.S.
Kolhapur: Oil marketing companies (OMCs ) have increased the production from maize, which is done by over 100 distilleries across India. Ethanol is mainly prepared from sugar cane, maize and broken rice. The dried by-product left after the conversion of sugar from maize to ethanol is used as good-quality cattle feed which has high-quality protein.
Director Dheer Singh emphasised on sustainable environment, net zero carbon policy and circular economy and said that the country is gearing up its activities and policies for quantum jump of bio-ethanol production, focusing on cereals (such as maize, rice etc) in addition to sugars...
