Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:22pm on 17 Apr 2026,Friday India
The Centre is evaluating ethanol as an alternative fuel for commercial cooking amid ongoing LPG supply disruptions linked to West Asia tensions. A proposal to divert around 1,000 crore litres of surplus ethanol capacity for large kitchens such as hotels, airports, and restaurants are expected to go before an inter-ministerial panel soon. Officials are considering ethanol as a complementary clean fuel, not a replacement for LPG, aimed at reducing import dependence and improving energy resilience. Industry bodies say India currently has significant surplus ethanol even after meeting the 20% petrol blending mandate, and hydrous ethanol could be cheaper than commercial LPG on a per-kg basis. The move follows widespread strain on commercial LPG supplies across India. (PC: NDTV)
