'There was paid campaign against me during E20 rollout': Gadkari
What's the story
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has dismissed criticisms of ethanol blending in petrol on social media as a "paid campaign to politically target me." Speaking at the annual convention of the Society of Automobile Manufacturers, he said automobile manufacturers and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) have supported this practice. Gadkari emphasized that ethanol blending is an import substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous.
Economic impact
Farmers have benefited by ₹45,000 crore
Gadkari also highlighted the economic benefits of ethanol blending, saying it helps reduce India's dependence on imported fossil fuels. He said farmers have benefited by ₹45,000 crore from this initiative. "We derived ethanol from makka (maize)," he said, adding that the money saved from reduced imports could be invested in the Indian economy.
Performance concerns
Concerns over E20 petrol's impact on mileage
E20 petrol, a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol, has been criticized by vehicle owners for reducing fuel efficiency and increasing wear and tear. However, the government has rejected these claims as "misplaced." It said vehicle mileage is influenced by several factors beyond just fuel type, such as driving habits, maintenance practices, tire pressure, alignment, and air conditioning load.
Environmental defense
Government defends E20, highlights acceleration benefits
The government has also said that E20 petrol offers better acceleration and ride quality while reducing carbon emissions. "Vehicles tuned for E20 deliver better acceleration, which is a very important factor in city driving conditions," it said. It added that ethanol's higher heat of vaporization also reduces intake manifold temperatures, boosting volumetric efficiency and air-fuel mixture density.
Progress reversal
'Planning to use methanol'
The government has warned that reverting to E0 petrol would mean losing progress on pollution control and energy transition. On Wednesday, Gadkari emphasized that India needs to reduce its dependence on imported fuels by adopting alternative fuels. "We want to concentrate on alternative fuel, biofuel, hydrogen, electric, whatever the choice may be, even in the marine engine. Now we are planning to use methanol," Gadkari said.