Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme: India Achieves ₹1,55,000 Crore Forex Savings

Key facts

• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is implementing the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, which has moved from a pilot stage to a nationwide scale-up with average blending touching around 19% in Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024–25.
• The national target is to achieve E20 (20% ethanol in petrol) by ESY 2025–26, reaching the goal five years ahead of the original 2030 schedule.
• According to the MoPNG, the country has saved ₹1,55,000 crore in foreign exchange (forex) over the past few years because of ethanol blending.
• Feedstock diversification for ethanol production includes Maize (46%), FCI rice (22%), and Sugarcane juice (16%) to ensure a stable and sustainable supply.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) stated that vehicles that are BS6 phase-2 compliant or marked with an E20 sticker can handle up to 20% ethanol blends without adverse impact on components.
• Top performing states in ethanol blending include Haryana (19.3%), West Bengal (19.28%), Himachal Pradesh (19.26%), and Kerala (19.25%).