Will Ethanol Replace LPG In Indian Kitchens Soon

India is exploring ethanol as a cooking fuel alternative, with the government considering diverting around 1,000 crore litres of surplus ethanol towards commercial kitchens such as hotels, restaurants and airports. This comes as LPG imports face pressure due to global tensions, and oil companies have been prioritising household supply over commercial needs. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra confirmed early stage work on ethanol based cooking stoves, though he stressed research is still ongoing and any large scale shift remains premature.

The economics look attractive because hydrous ethanol costs around ₹70 per kilogram against commercial LPG priced near ₹103 per kilogram, so kitchens using large volumes could see real savings. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has already shown a stove that mixes ethanol with water to create a cooking flame, and he believes this could work out cheaper than LPG for many users. India built this surplus after pushing ethanol blending in petrol from about 1.5 percent in 2014 to nearly 20 percent now, so distilleries have spare capacity that can be redirected towards new uses.

An inter-ministerial panel with petroleum, road transport, heavy industries and food ministries will study feasibility, pricing, safety and distribution before any rollout, and regulatory changes from the petroleum ministry and Bureau of Indian Standards are also needed. Industry groups like AIDA have urged faster movement, and pilots may first happen near distilleries and in commercial kitchens rather than homes. The idea is not to replace LPG but to complement it, cut import dependence, support farmers who supply sugarcane and grain for ethanol, and strengthen energy security.