ISMA defends E20 fuel, silent on mileage drop

In a statement on Wednesday, ISMA said that according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), India’s Ethanol Blending with Petrol Programme (EBP) is scientifically validated, rigorously tested, and continuously monitored, in consultation with oil marketing companies (OMCs), automakers, fuel testing agencies, and other stakeholders.

The Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has dismissed the public concern over E20 ethanol blended petrol saying the ongoing public conversation should be guided by scientific evidence, verified data and official clarifications, rather than misinformation being circulated on social media.

Of late, there has been a major concern over drop in mileage attributed to adoption of E20 fuel even as auto makers claim it to be very marginal 3-3.5 per cent whereas people are claiming it to be 20-30 per cent. An social media user on X said: “Hybrid system is inherently highly efficient, boasting an official fuel economy to 23.24 kmpl. However, because ethanol delivers lower thermal energy per litre than pure petrol, real-world E20 mileage drops to around 16–18 kmpl depending on driving conditions.” Several people have shared on social media that their cars have a reduced mileage of 2-3 km (or 20-30 per cent) after shifting to E20.

Former Delhi chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote to 29 automobile manufacturers, seeking their response on the impact of E20 fuel on vehicle mileage and performance and asked them to reply within seven days. Sharing his letter with Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Vikram Gulati, Kejriwal asked the company if a pre-2023, non-E20-compliant vehicle experiences a mileage drop of more than 10 per cent after using E20 fuel, would be compensated for the loss.

“The government said no incidents of engine failure or vehicle breakdown had been linked to E20 petrol since its rollout. The ministry said that fuel-grade ethanol is produced through industrial processes such as fermentation and distillation and does not resemble its original agricultural feedstock. It is made from multiple sources, including sugarcane juice, molasses, broken rice, and maize, and must meet fuel-quality standards before being blended with petrol, ISMA said.

Highlighting the recent press briefing by select automobile manufacturers, ISMA said the automakers, OMCs, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) have publicly defended E20, saying concerns about vehicle breakdowns stem from ‘hearsay, misinformation and misunderstanding’.

Industry representatives said mileage variation, where observed, was marginal, while E20 helps cut emissions, reduce oil imports, save foreign exchange and support farmer incomes. “India’s ethanol programme is one of the country’s most successful examples of aligning energy security, farmer welfare and cleaner mobility,” ISMA Director General Deepak Ballani said in the statement.

“It is therefore important that public debate is anchored in facts and not fear.” he said adding E20 had been introduced through a calibrated, science-backed process involving the government, OMCs, automakers and testing agencies and that claims the fuel was unsafe or unregulated were not supported by evidence.

“Misinformation of this nature risks undermining a programme that has helped India reduce crude import dependence, save foreign exchange and create value for the rural economy,” he said. The Ethanol Blending Programme was launched to cut India’s dependence on imported crude oil, strengthen energy security and promote cleaner fuels. Ethanol blending has helped India save more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude oil imports, according to government estimates, while generating demand for agricultural feedstocks and additional income for farmers, ISMA said.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.