Ethanol stove can cut household cooking costs, says Nitin Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari unveiled an indigenous ethanol-based cooking stove using a 7% ethanol-water blend as a cheaper alternative to LPG. The initiative supports India’s biofuel and energy security goals while potentially creating a new domestic market for ethanol-based household cooking fuel.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has unveiled an indigenous ethanol-based cooking stove technology that he says can provide a cheaper alternative to LPG cylinders while supporting India’s clean energy and biofuel ambitions, IANS reported.
Speaking at an event in Nagpur, Gadkari said the new stove technology uses a blend of ethanol and water to generate flames suitable for cooking.
According to the minister, mixing 7 percent ethanol with water produces a flame that can be used for household cooking at a lower cost than conventional LPG-based cooking gas. He described the innovation as a domestically developed technology with the potential to reduce household energy expenses.
The announcement is in line with Gadkari’s long-standing support for ethanol as an alternative fuel capable of reducing India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. Over the years, he has advocated wider use of ethanol in transportation and energy applications, citing its economic and environmental benefits.
India imports nearly 87 percent of its crude oil requirements, making energy security a key concern for policymakers. To reduce import dependence, the government has significantly expanded its ethanol blending programme, increasing ethanol content in petrol from 1.53 percent in 2014 to 20 percent in 2025.
Gadkari has consistently promoted ethanol blending as a strategy that supports farmers, strengthens energy security and contributes to cleaner fuel usage. The proposed ethanol-water stove technology extends the use of ethanol into the domestic cooking sector, where millions of households continue to rely on LPG cylinders.
If successfully commercialised, the innovation could create a new market for ethanol while offering consumers a lower-cost cooking fuel option and further strengthening India’s biofuel ecosystem.
Alongside the ethanol initiative, Gadkari announced a Rs 40-crore programme aimed at encouraging scientific thinking and innovation among young people.
He said the project seeks to inspire greater interest in science and technology among children and youth as technological advancements continue to reshape the future.
The twin initiatives reflect the government’s broader focus on promoting indigenous innovation, expanding the use of biofuels and advancing India’s transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.
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Source : ChiniMandi
