Government issues draft notification on ethanol blending in petrol

Paving the way for the transformation of the fossil fuel ecosystem in the country, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification for facilitating use of a blend of 12 per cent and 15 per cent ethanol in gasoline as automotive fuels.

Comments have been invited from stakeholders within a period of 30 days. "The newly manufactured gasoline vehicles fitted with spark ignition engine compatible to run on ethanol gasoline blends of E-12 and E-15 shall be type approved as per prevailing gasoline emission norms," the draft notification said.

Recently, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said the government will take a decision over flex-fuel engines as it is considering making these mandatory for the automobile industry.