The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. has recently announced a plan to launch 10% of ethanol blended (E10) across the North East. The petrol pumps in Guwahati will now be selling ethanol blended petrol after the decision taken by the IOC. Keeping an aim to reduce pollution this is the decision of the IOC. Since Ethanol is produced from plants it is considered as renewable fuel.
It is mentioned that the Ethanol is an agro-based product mainly produced from the sugar industry. The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) is introduced by the Department of Food & Public Distribution of the Government of India that seeks to achieve blending of Ethanol with motor spirit with a view of reducing pollution. The Central Government has scaled up blending targets from 5% to 10%.
During 2001 pilot projects on Ethanol Blended Petrol started 3 locations in Miraj, Manmad (Maharashtra) and Aonla/Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. Later it is implanted in total of 9 states Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and 4 Union Territories.