India's push for ethanol-blended fuel to worsen water crisis: Report

India is already grappling with a deepening water crisis, with reports of shortages surfacing from several regions. In Karnataka, authorities recently prioritised drinking water over irrigation as reservoirs dipped, underlining the scale of stress.

Against this backdrop, a new concern is emerging: whether the country’s aggressive push towards ethanol-blended fuel could worsen water scarcity.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has pressed about moving away from fossil fuels, urging automakers to shift towards cleaner alternatives like ethanol and hydrogen. “In the near future, India should aspire to achieve 100 per cent ethanol blending... Today, we are facing an energy crisis due to the war in West Asia, so it is necessary for us to become self-reliant in the energy sector, " he said while addressing an event earlier this April.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched E20 petrol (20 per cent ethanol blend) in 2023. Indian vehicles can currently run on E20 with minor engine modifications to address corrosion and related issues. Countries like Brazil have already achieved 100 per cent ethanol blending.

However, a report by India Today has flagged a critical downside: the massive water footprint of ethanol production. Citing estimates, the report noted that producing just one litre of ethanol can require up to 10,000 litres of water. It added that India’s total ethanol production capacity has reached 1,822 crore litres.

Earlier, Kisan Tak highlighted the contrast in water usage narratives. Farmers are often criticised for growing water-intensive crops like rice, which requires roughly 3,000–5,000 litres of water per kilogram. Yet, the scale of water consumption in ethanol production—largely driven by policy push—has not drawn the same level of scrutiny, the report alleged.