The Indian government on December 18, 2020, proposed to adopt E20 fuel as an automobile fuel for reducing vehicular emissions as well as the oil import bill of the country. E20 fuel is a blend of 20% of ethanol and gasoline (petrol).
A draft notification has been published by the ministry of road and transport and the comments from the public area also invited for the adoption of the fuel. Currently, the level of blending permissible is 10% of ethanol, though in 2019 India reached only 5.6 percent of blending.
As per the official statement, the notification by the ministry promotes the development of E-20-compliant vehicles. The move will help in reducing the emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, etc. It will also help in reducing the oil import bill, saving the foreign exchange as well as boosting energy security.
Ethanol: What are the pros and cons? |
| Pros: • It is a common by-product that comes from agricultural feedstock such as hemp, corn, potato, etc. • Ethanol can be used as a bio-fuel in flexi-fuel vehicles. • It is also greener than gasoline because of the crop plantation and corn absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. • Even though the fuel will release C02 when it is burned, the net increase however will be comparatively lower. |
| Cons: • It is less efficient as a fuel, also, it has a lower energy content than the energy-rich diesel and gasoline. • Ethanol delivers less power when burned, which results in lower mileage and more fuel consumption. • Blends over E15 is corrosive for the older vehicles as the alcohol breaks down the old rubber seals and can damage engines. |
Vehicle compatibility for Ethanol:
According to the ministry, the compatibility of the vehicles with the percentage of ethanol blend will be defined by the vehicle manufacturer. It will also have to be displayed on the vehicle with a sticker. Presently, only 10% of ethanol blend is permitted in India, in 2019, however, it reached 5.6%.
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