What will be the impact of new ethanol-run vehicles to be introduced in India by Nitin Gadkari
- Positive impact on the environment: Ethanol is a renewable fuel that produces fewer harmful emissions compared to gasoline or diesel, which could help to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases.
- Possible reduction in fuel prices: India is a major sugarcane producer, so ethanol could be cheaper to produce domestically than importing petroleum products.The government could potentially lower the price of ethanol-blended fuel compared to regular gasoline, which could benefit consumers.
- New investment and jobs: The production of ethanol requires setting up of plants and biorefineries which will lead to new investments and employment opportunities in the country.
- Challenges related to infrastructure: The introduction of ethanol vehicles would require sufficient infrastructure to produce, distribute and store ethanol fuel throughout the country. Upgrades of fueling stations would be necessary to make this all a smooth process.
- Possible negative impact on food supply and prices: Sugarcane is a common food crop in India, the competition for sugarcane or maize to produce ethanol could raise prices for food and may impact food security of some sections of citizens.