E-20 Fuel

Dec. 17, 2022

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister has recently said that India will soon launch E-20 fuel with 20% blending of ethanol.

About E-20 Fuel:

  • The E20 fuel is a twenty percent blend of Ethanol and eighty percent of fossil based fuel.
  • The introduction of E20 fuel has the motive of reducing the reliance on fossil based fuels for building a more sustainable society for the future and to reduce vehicular emissions.
  • It is expected to reduce air pollution, being lesser polluting than petrol.
  • The government foresees oil import savings to the tune of Rs. 30,000 crores annually.

What is Ethanol fuel?

  • Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol, the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic drinks. 
  • It is most commonly utilized as a motor fuel, primarily as a biofuel addition in gasoline. Biomass is commonly utilized for making ethanol, such as corn or sugarcane. India's abundance of sugarcane production is pivotal to the push towards ethanol based fuel.

Flex engines:

  • Flex engines are those that can run at any ratio of ethanol blending from E20 to E100.
  • These types of engines and cars are not new.
    • The Fiat 147, launched in 1978 in Brazil, was the first production car to run solely on ethanol.

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