E20 Petrol in India: The Green Fuel That's Splitting Opinion at the Pump
Fill 'Er Up... With What? Making Sense of India's E20 Switch E20 is petrol blended with 20% ethanol, up from the 10% blend (E10) most Indian vehicles used until recently. Ethanol is a biofuel made mainly from sugarcane, molasses, maize, and surplus rice. India adopted ethanol blending under its Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, first launched in 2003, to cut its heavy dependence on imported crude oil, reduce the foreign exchange bill, lower tailpipe emissions, and give sugarcane and grain farmers a steadier, government-guaranteed source of income through ethanol sales. Fast-Tracked: How a 2030 Plan Landed at the Pump by 2023 I ndia originally planned to reach 20% blending by 2030, later moved the target to 2025, and then advanced it again to April 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally launched E20 fuel at India Energy Week in Bengaluru on 6 February 2023, starting at select outlets across 15 cities before a phased, pan-India expansion. The government said the pro...