The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has addressed the misleading and unsubstantiated claims being circulated on social media regarding Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) and clarified that the EBP is scientifically validated and continuously monitored by the Government.
“It was observed by the Government of India that some old images and videos are being recirculated in an apparent attempt to garner viewership through sensationalism and create unwarranted concerns regarding ethanol-blended fuel, MoPNG has stated.
MoPNG asserted that since the introduction of E20 petrol, no widespread issues of engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending have been reported as the government continuously consulted with oil marketing companies, automobile manufacturers, fuel testing agencies and other stakeholders.
It further addressed the claims regarding the hygroscopic nature of ethanol highlighting that the entry of water into the fuel tank is undesirable for any fuel, whether ethanol blended or otherwise.
The ministry called circulation of such content on social media “misleading” and “baseless”, and stated that ethanol blending is a globally accepted practice and is successfully implemented in several countries, including the United States, Brazil and Japan. Brazil has long adopted higher ethanol blending levels, with E27 serving as the standard petrol blend.
Ethanol saves ₹1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange through reduced crude oil imports and the programme also creates long-term demand for agricultural feedstocks used in ethanol production leading towards supporting farmers' incomes and strengthening the rural economy as the press release states.
The MoPNG has said that ethanol blending will support India's energy security, reduce carbon emissions and advance the country's transition towards cleaner mobility, and The government remains committed to implementing the programme in a safe, transparent and consumer-centric manner, guided by scientific evidence and continuous stakeholder engagement.
