The Central Government is set to launch a revolutionary change in India’s energy sector, particularly in the kitchens of ordinary citizens. The Centre is preparing a groundbreaking plan to reduce dependence on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which has so far held an unrivaled monopoly as the country’s cooking fuel. Following the blending of ethanol into petrol and diesel, preparations are now gathering pace to bring the same ethanol directly into household use as a primary cooking fuel.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is working intensively to develop an alternative clean cooking method for the country. Under this new policy, ethanol will be officially recognized as a primary cooking fuel alongside LPG. Insider sources indicate that the related rules and policy framework could be finalized by September this year.
Currently, India relies heavily on foreign imports for the bulk of its LPG cooking gas needs. Every time oil and gas prices rise in the international market, cylinder prices in the country go up, burdening ordinary citizens. Using domestically available ethanol in place of LPG would not only save thousands of crores of rupees in foreign exchange, but would also shield Indian households from the impact of international gas crises.
India’s ethanol production capacity has increased significantly. The country currently has an annual ethanol production capacity of about 20 billion liters, which is set to rise by another 4 billion liters soon. Of this, 11 billion liters go toward the E20 petrol target, and 3.5 billion liters go to the pharma, liquor, and chemical industries — leaving a surplus of roughly 7 billion liters of ethanol every year. Diverting this surplus ethanol toward cooking fuel would help curb energy wastage.
Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from sugarcane, corn, spoiled grains, and agricultural waste. If ethanol consumption as a cooking fuel increases, demand for sugar mills and ethanol distilleries will rise, ensuring farmers get better support prices for their crops. This would not only strengthen the rural economy but also greatly contribute to waste management and environmental protection.
Since ethanol is a liquid fuel, it cannot be used in ordinary LPG stoves. To address this, public sector oil marketing companies (IOCL, BPCL, HPCL) along with leading research institutions are jointly developing specialized “ethanol cookstoves.” These are being designed to be less hazardous, far safer, and more environmentally friendly than conventional gas stoves.
The Central Government is considering attractive schemes to encourage consumers to switch from conventional LPG cylinders to ethanol-based cooking. It is initially considering offering consumers a substantial subsidy on the purchase of ethanol stoves. Much like the Ujjwala Yojana, the government aims to make these ethanol cooking stoves easily accessible to poor and middle-class families.
The government is also considering a new distribution system for supplying ethanol to households. Alongside regular LPG cylinder home delivery, consumers will be given the option to buy ethanol directly from local petrol pumps in special cans. It is estimated that setting up ethanol dispensers or dedicated counters at petrol pumps in the future could make supply much easier.
Using ethanol in the kitchen offers major benefits for the environment and for the health of homemakers. Compared to LPG, ethanol combustion releases almost no carbon emissions or toxic gases. This improves indoor air quality in the kitchen. In particular, ethanol can play a key role in preventing respiratory illnesses caused by smoke and indoor pollution.
An official announcement on this is expected soon from the Union Ministry of Petroleum. If pilot trials succeed and the policy is finalized in September, “ethanol cooking gas” is set to become available as an alternative in the coming days. If this comes through, it would not only bring permanent relief to ordinary citizens from the burden of gas cylinder prices, but would also mark another major step toward India’s “Atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in the energy sector.