Is Excessive Water Use In Ethanol Production A Myth? Expert Answers

Speaking at NDTV's Fuel & Future Summit 2026, Deepak Ballani, Director General, ISMA, highlighted how India's ethanol industry operates on a circular economy model, with sugarcane by-products powering distilleries and supporting fertiliser production. He also dismissed claims of excessive water consumption, saying ethanol production uses just 3-5 litres of water per litre during distillation. Joining the discussion, Joshua of the Global Biofuels Alliance and Vikram Gour stressed that smart irrigation, farm technology and better incentives for farmers will be critical to making ethanol production even more sustainable.