India hits 20% ethanol blending target ahead of schedule
India just reached its goal of blending 20% ethanol into petrol (E20) by early 2025—a milestone hit five years sooner than planned.
This move uses ethanol from sugarcane to cut down on carbon emissions and reduce the country's need for imported oil.
The government is already eyeing a jump to 27% blending by 2030.
Ethanol program's impact on Indian economy
Since being extended to all of India by 2019, the ethanol program has doubled production capacity and helped India avoid over ₹26,000 crore in oil import costs while slashing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 19 million tons.
It's a big step for energy security and climate goals.
Trade-offs for consumers
While cleaner fuel sounds great, there are trade-offs: cars might get slightly lower mileage with E20, and older vehicles could face some hiccups until flex-fuel engines become common.
Petrol prices at the pump haven't dropped yet, so direct savings for drivers may take a bit longer to show up.