NEW DELHI: Blending ethanol with diesel may not be viable after tests by state-owned oil retailers found that it sharply lowers the fuel’s flash point, even as the govt is exploring ethanol’s use as an alternative cooking fuel to cut dependence on imported LPG.In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, minister of state for petroleum Suresh Gopi said oil retailers had conducted scientific evaluations of ethanol-diesel blending through their research and development centres in collaboration with accredited laboratories and automobile manufacturers.The tests showed that ethanol-blended diesel did not meet the required flash point specifications. The flash point was lowered drastically due to the presence of ethanol, minister said.In a separate reply, Gopi said isobutanol was currently not being blended with diesel.Govt, however, is exploring use of ethanol as a clean cooking fuel, which could help reduce LPG import dependence as well as provide an avenue to utilise surplus ethanol production capacity in the country.
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LPG Equipment Research Centre (LERC), a joint undertaking of Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL, has undertaken development efforts for clean cooking solutions based on ethanol, Gopi said.The initiative assumes significance as India imports nearly 60% of its LPG requirements and is seeking to expand the use of ethanol beyond transport sector. Govt has so far focused its ethanol blending programme on petrol and has achieved the 20% blending target.
