Centre mulls higher biofuel blends as alternative fuels, raises vehicle weight cap

New Delhi, April 29 The government has proposed widening the definition of automotive fuels to include higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel, as part of efforts to promote cleaner and more diversified energy use in the transport sector, according to a draft notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The draft seeks amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to enable the use of ethanol blends up to 100 per cent (E100) and 85 per cent (E85), along with biodiesel blends up to 100 per cent (B100).

The notification has proposed changes to hydrogen-CNG terminology, replacing 'Hydrogen + CN' with 'Hydrogen + CNG', along with other technical corrections in emission tables.

At present, vehicles manufactured after April 2023 are compliant with E20 fuel and are capable of running on ethanol blends of up to 20 per cent, with certain models engineered to support higher blends.

In a related move, the draft has proposed increasing the permissible gross vehicle weight for certain categories to 3,500 kg from the existing 3,000 kg.

The draft has been issued for public consultation, with the government inviting objections and suggestions within 30 days before finalising the amendments.

According to officials, the changes aimed at aligning regulatory frameworks with evolving fuel technologies and supporting India’s long-term goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, recently underlined the need to scale up ethanol adoption, stating that India should work towards achieving 100 per cent ethanol blending in the future to strengthen energy self-reliance amid global supply uncertainties.

Notably, countries such as Brazil have already adopted higher ethanol blending levels, offering a potential model for India as it expands its biofuel ecosystem.

Separately, the government has also taken steps to introduce biofuels in the aviation sector.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has amended norms to allow blending of ethanol in aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The move is expected to help lower crude oil import dependence and reduce carbon emissions from the aviation sector.

In addition, India has set indicative targets for SAF blending, aiming for 1 per cent by 2027, 2 per cent by 2028, and 5 per cent by 2030, in line with global aviation sustainability goals.

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