The Centre on Monday said it hasn't received any widespread or substantiated complaints linking E20 ethanol-blended petrol to engine failures or other vehicle performance issues. It maintained that extensive scientific studies and real-world data have found the fuel safe for use under prescribed standards.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha by CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said the Ethanol Blended Petrol programme was rolled out in phases following scientific evaluation and consultations with key stakeholders, including NITI Aayog, the Automotive Research Association of India, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Indian Oil Corporation, the Indian Institute of Petroleum, oil marketing companies and automobile manufacturers.
The minister said India achieved the milestone of 20% ethanol blending five years ahead of schedule after more than two decades of policy planning, infrastructure development, scientific validation and stakeholder engagement.
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According to the government's reply, no widespread or verified complaints have been received from vehicle manufacturers, industry associations or consumer groups alleging that E20 fuel has caused engine failures, fuel pump damage, corrosion, reduced mileage, water contamination or other performance-related problems. Concerns circulating in traditional and social media were examined through laboratory testing, field studies and operational data, it added.
These assessments found that E20 fuel does not lead to significant performance changes or abnormal wear in legacy vehicles when used under prescribed conditions. It added that more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over three crore petrol cars have been running on E15+ fuel for over three-and-a-half years and on E19-E20 fuel for more than two-and-a-half years without verified evidence of widespread engine failures linked to ethanol blending.
The government stated that no year-wise or state-wise complaints of this nature have been recorded.
Addressing concerns over water contamination, the Centre said oil marketing companies have not issued any specific advisory because the fuel supplied complies with Bureau of Indian Standards specifications.
It said OMCs follow strict quality control procedures covering procurement, blending, storage, transportation and retail distribution, with testing conducted at distilleries, depots and fuel stations.
The reply also noted that OMCs carried out more than 30,000 fuel quality inspections at retail outlets over the past 10 to 20 days in response to complaints, primarily to detect adulteration and ensure compliance with quality standards. State governments have also been advised to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against fuel adulteration.
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Explaining its June 23 PIB statement that no widespread engine failures had been reported due to ethanol blending, the government said the conclusion was based on long-term technical validation, phased implementation, scientific studies, manufacturer data, operational experience and continuous monitoring.
The Centre further pointed out that ethanol has been used as a transport fuel globally for over a century. While countries such as Brazil have successfully used higher ethanol blends for decades, India's ethanol blending programme began with a pilot project in 2001, followed by the introduction of E5 fuel in 2006.
Since then, blending levels have been increased gradually alongside the development of production capacity, infrastructure and the necessary regulatory framework.
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