Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri launched ‘Ethanol 100' automotive fuel at Indian Oil's Irwin Road Service Station in Delhi on Friday. The initiative marks ready availability of Ethanol 100 at select 183 retail petrol outlets across five states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu.

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While launching the fuel, the minister said that the launch of Ethanol 100 was inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transform 'Annadatas to Urjadatas'. Calling it a 'revolutionary fuel', he said that Ethanol 100 fuel has the potential to transform the transportation sector and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

He stated, “It reflects the government’s commitment to reducing import dependency, conserving foreign exchange, and boosting the agriculture sector. Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on E20 (20 per cent ethanol blended fuel) in 2023, the E20 availability has increased to 12,000 outlets in under a year, and now, with the launch of Ethanol 100 at 183 outlets of Indian Oil, we are close to achieving the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2025-26. During the last 10 years these ethanol blending initiatives have enhanced farmer incomes, increased rural employment, reduced CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 1.75 crore trees and resulted in savings of Rs 85,000 crore worth of foreign exchange.” 

Speaking about the strides made by the country towards realizing vision of PM to reach 20 per cent blending of Ethanol in Petrol by 2025-26, the minister said that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have been at the forefront of this endeavor, introducing various blends of Ethanol with Petrol across the country. 

He said that OMCs have signed long term offtake agreements with 131 dedicated ethanol plants. These plants are expected to add an annual production design capacity of 745 crore litres. OMCs have also invested in increasing storage capacity and allied infrastructure for handling higher blending percentages, he added.

What is Ethanol 100?

Ethanol 100 stands as a cleaner, greener alternative to gasoline, boasting lower emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, thus aiding in combating climate change and enhancing air quality in our communities. 

With its high-octane rating, typically between 100-105, Ethanol 100 proves ideal for high-performance engines, ensuring improved efficiency and power output all while minimizing environmental impact. 

Moreover, Ethanol 100’s versatility shines through, as it can be used in a wide array of vehicles, including flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) designed to run on gasoline, ethanol, or any blend of the two, showcasing its practicality and potential to become a mainstream fuel option with the right infrastructure in place.