Can ethanol become a cooking fuel? Govt says no plan yet

Ethanol may be gaining ground as a transport fuel, but the government has made it clear that it is not yet ready to bring the biofuel into Indian kitchens. It has also ruled out blending ethanol with diesel, citing safety concerns.Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi told the Rajya Sabha on August 10 that ethanol is not approved or mandated as a cooking fuel and there is currently no policy under consideration to introduce it for household use.The clarification came in response to a question on whether the government was preparing a policy, expected by September 2026, to promote ethanol as a mainstream cooking fuel alongside LPG.NO POLICY TO BRING ETHANOL INTO KITCHENSThe government said there is currently no proposal to approve or mandate ethanol as a household cooking fuel. This means that, for now, LPG remains the main cooking fuel supported under the country's existing household energy framework. The government has, however, acknowledged that ethanol could potentially have a role as an alternative cooking fuel in the future. According to Gopi, ethanol-based cooking could help reduce India's dependence on imported LPG and provide another cleaner cooking option.He also said such a move could help make better use of surplus ethanol production capacity in the country.WHY ETHANOL-DIESEL BLENDING HAS BEEN RULED OUT While ethanol cooking fuel is not currently under consideration, the government has also ruled out blending ethanol with diesel.Public sector oil marketing companies carried out scientific evaluations of ethanol-diesel blends through their research and development centres. The studies were conducted in collaboration with accredited laboratories and automobile manufacturers.The findings raised a key safety concern.Gopi told Rajya Sabha that the tests found that ethanol-blended diesel did not meet the required flash point, as the presence of ethanol drastically lowered it. A lower flash point means the fuel can catch fire more easily, raising concerns about its handling and storage.NO DECISION YET ON ETHANOL BLENDING BEYOND 20%The government also clarified that there has been no decision to increase ethanol blending with petrol beyond the existing 20% level. Any move towards higher ethanol blends will be considered only after detailed scientific and technical studies, Gopi said.The government will also consult automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies and research institutions before taking any such decision.ETHANOL STILL HAS A ROLE IN INDIA'S FUEL STRATEGYEven though ethanol is not being introduced as a household cooking fuel at present, the government continues to promote its use as an alternative fuel.The government has also pointed to the possibility of using surplus ethanol production for other energy needs.For now, however, there is no government policy to replace or supplement LPG with ethanol for household cooking. The latest clarification also shows that any expansion of ethanol use will depend on safety, technical studies and consultations with key stakeholders.- EndsPublished By: Jasmine anandPublished On: Aug 10, 2026 16:52 IST