India’s ethanol blending program set to resume

India’s ethanol blending program is set to resume this October after having stalled for the last couple of years due to lack of supplies and an unattractive government-set price for the alternative fuel, according to media reports. Last month, state-owned oil refiners Indian Oil Corp., Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. issued a tender seeking 1.05 billion liters of ethanol. The volume will cover the oil companies’ 5% blending requirement for one year. Supply orders are likely to be issued by mid-September and supplies will start from October 1, an official with a sugar company said. (September 7, 2010)