India should look to restore a lower blend of ethanol to ease public concerns and lower its overall use instead of increasing it, chief economic adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has said.
The piece was co-authored by Akash Poojari, a consultant in India’s Department of Economic Affairs. However, the piece clarified that there was no evidence pointing to damage to engines owing to E20. However, it said there were concerns regarding the impact of the 20 per cent ethanol blend on the older fleet of vehicles.
In an opinion piece for The Indian Express, Nageswaran said, “Restoring a lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the option to buy E20, would calm most public concern, lower total ethanol use instead of raising it, and protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up. “India has roughly 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers … older rubber seals that are not rated for ethanol are a separate problem … retrofitting those seals… that way will take years,” it said.
Union ministers back fuel-blending policy
Union minister Nitin Gadkari also addressed concerns regarding ethanol-blended fuels in a written reply in the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Parliament.
Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, backed the Centre’s fuel-blending policy, while accusing certain people of attempting to “create some controversy” around it. Gadkari said the transition was taken after successful validation of fuel systems, engine durability, drivability, material compatibility, emissions performance and consumer acceptance.
However, oil companies, automakers and the Union government have defended the decision, saying the rollout had been facilitated after careful consideration and testing with various stakeholders. State-run oil companies last weeksaid nationwide tests of E20 petrol found no evidence of high moisture or chloride contamination. This comes amid concerns and criticism over ethanol-blended fuels such as E20 (20% ethanol, 80%petrol). Opposition parties and some consumer groups have criticised the rollout of E20 fuel, alleging that it can cause engine damage and expressing concerns about its suitability for older vehicles that were not designed to run on a 20% ethanol blend.
They said that according to the test reports, the fuel quality remained within prescribed limits across the supply chain, amid concerns over the suitability of blended fuel for older vehicles and its impact on mileage.
