BENGALURU, India -- Taxi driver Ravi Ranjan, residing with his wife and child in New Delhi, reports that shipping issues from the Iran war have driven up his cooking fuel costs just as India's prime minister calls for less driving and travel.

This is squeezing Ranjan's earnings, he explained, with liquid petroleum gas now costing three times more due to delivery delays.

“I used to pay 1,000 rupees ($11) for an LPG cylinder, but now it's 3,000 rupees ($31) on the black market,” he stated.

In Chennai on India's eastern coast, advertising executive Sushmita Sankar noted surging costs for gasoline and cooking fuel amid the conflict. She added that ethanol-blended gasoline - the standard at pumps - is hurting her vehicle's efficiency.

“Fuel costs are rising, and with ethanol-mixed petrol as the only option, my car's mileage has dropped over the past year,” she said. “Our schedules are packed with work, school runs and family needs. Now, queuing for fuel or LPG adds even more stress.”

Amid LPG shortages and soaring crude prices, India is advancing plans for vehicles to use 85% or even 100% ethanol. On Friday, petrol and diesel prices rose, sparking panic buying and long lines in Odisha state, per local reports. India has halted sugar exports through September to secure domestic supplies and support potential ethanol expansion.

Officials tout higher ethanol use for cutting emissions, though drivers worry about fuel economy. Experts caution that diverting corn, rice and grains to ethanol production could strain food and feed supplies.

Asia felt the initial fossil fuel shortages most acutely from the Iran war's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy route.

As a new round of disruptions looms, governments are promoting biofuels to curb import needs. Indonesia and Malaysia are advancing palm oil-based fuel mixes, despite risks of farm expansion and forest loss.

War-fueled biofuel momentum notwithstanding, widespread high-blend adoption in Asia could take years, given supply chain builds, blend research and engine testing requirements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged Indians to make "nationally responsible choices" by favoring public transit, carpooling and avoiding overseas trips to conserve fuel.

With 90% of crude oil imported, India faces gasoline shortages for vehicles and LPG gaps for homes and eateries. Natural gas-dependent industries suffer too, while the coal- and renewable-powered grid sustains electricity.

Post-war outbreak, India diversified oil suppliers and floated higher biofuel blends, offering modest relief, per energy analysts.

Most Indian pumps now offer 20% ethanol gasoline, rolled out nationwide in 2025 ahead of schedule. Plans call for 27% blends by 2030. The transport ministry's recent push for 85% or pure ethanol vehicles sends a clear message to automakers for compatibility development, though timelines remain vague.

"Shifting to advanced ethanol blends aligns with the government's strategy for energy independence, emission cuts and lower crude imports," said Chandra Kumar Jain, president of the Grain Ethanol Manufacturers Association.

India's 20% ethanol mix cut crude imports by 2.5% in 2025, reports the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

While import savings help, the fast biofuel rollout breeds policy flux and auto industry uncertainty, noted Charith Konda of IEEFA.

Southeast Asia views bioenergy as a buffer against this crisis and future ones, said Reza Yosri, energy specialist at Ramboll consultancy.

Indonesia aims to lift biodiesel blending to 50% from 40% via a March initiative by President Prabowo Subianto, who declared, "We are going big on biofuel."

This biofuel drive supports Indonesia's "energy sovereignty" amid fuel woes, per Putra Adhiguna of Jakarta's Energy Shift Institute.

It will also boost domestic demand for exported palm oil, he added, but deforestation risks demand oversight.

Malaysia greenlit a phased rise to 15% biodiesel with 85% diesel in April, eyeing 20% later.

Fuel price spikes have "reignited the concept," said Kuala Lumpur analyst Ahmad Rafdi Endut, though higher blends require tests and drivers fear mileage drops.

Though pitched as gasoline alternatives, ethanol blends pose complexities.

New Delhi's Centre for Social and Economic Progress researcher Shyamasis Das questioned impacts on existing engines and scaling compatible production.

Users may face compromises: ethanol's lower energy density means more fuel for the same distance, Das noted.

Crop-based ethanol risks food competition, price hikes and water strain. In India, 70% derives from sugarcane, corn and rice.

One liter (34 fluid ounces) of ethanol demands 3,000 to 10,000 liters (792 to 2,641 gallons) of water, stressing depleted groundwater.

Biofuels cut exhaust emissions, but lifecycle climate effects vary by production.

IEEFA's Konda favors electric vehicles and renewable industry shifts over biofuels or fossils long-term.

Crop ethanol's green gains are curbed by land and water factors, analysts note.

CSEP's Das advocates residues, waste and used oils for biofuels to avoid new resource pulls.

"Without residue or waste sourcing, biofuels often don't qualify as renewable," he said.