E20 Fuel Blend Safe for Older Vehicles, Confirms Nitin Gadkari

quick Summary

• E20 Ethanol Blend: Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, defended teh new petrol blend containing 20% ethanol (E20), dispelling concerns about damage to older vehicles. Tests conducted by Pune-based ARAI on old vehicles over 1 lakh km found no issues.

• Benefits of E20:

– Reduces fossil fuel imports (₹22 lakh crore spent annually).
– Mitigates pollution levels.
– Provides higher economic value to farmers producing ethanol feedstocks like sugarcane, rice, and maize.
– Progress towards self-reliance (Atmanirbharta).

• Fuel Impact: E20 leads to approximately a 5%-6% drop in vehicle mileage.Petrol price determination for consumers remains outside Mr. gadkari’s purview.

• Allegations Addressed: Social media outrage against E20 was blamed on misinformation campaigns potentially driven by “political conspiracy” or vested interests of petroleum lobbies. Gadkari rejected claims that his family-owned sugarcane firms stand to gain considerably from ethanol production, stating their financial losses.

• Transition Constraints: India lags behind countries like Brazil-which has over eight decades of biofuel experience-and will need another seven to eight years for stability in consumer choices between fuel blends.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The shift towards the E20 ethanol blend represents significant strides in India’s renewable energy initiative with long-term economic and environmental benefits such as reduced dependency on oil imports and lower emissions. While concerns surrounding older vehicle compatibility appear unfounded based on ARAI’s extensive tests, the rollout incited skepticism due to potential misinformation campaigns.

Gadkari’s emphasis on Atmanirbharta aligns broadly with national objectives concerning farmer welfare and sustainable energy security but is challenged by operational realities-increased costs linked to reduced mileage may hinder quick consumer adoption while logistical hurdles delay parity with advanced biofuel economies like Brazil.Transparency during this transition will be crucial for addressing public doubts tied to performance impacts or alleged conflicts of interest among policymakers as India scales up its biofuel infrastructure.

Read more at The Hindu.