‘No Engine Damage, Marginal Mileage Changes’: Govt Issues 10-Point Clarification On E20 Ethanol Blending

The government on Friday pushed back against what it called misinformation surrounding India’s E20 ethanol blending programme, issuing a detailed 10-point clarification to counter viral claims on social media about engine damage, water consumption, vehicle warranties, fuel efficiency and environmental impact.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the E20 programme, under which petrol contains up to 20% ethanol, is backed by scientific studies, regulatory safeguards and international experience.

Here’s what the ministry stated in its 10-point clarifications on ethanol blending.

Water Use

The government rejected claims that producing one litre of ethanol requires 10,000 litres of water, saying only surplus rice, available after meeting national food

security requirements, is diverted for ethanol production.

Ethanol distilleries use about 3-5 litres of processed water per litre of ethanol and are increasingly adopting Zero Liquid Discharge systems to recycle water.

Also Read: ‘Ethanol Is Used In Racing Cars’: Oil Minister Defends Govt’s Biofuel Blending Programme

It also noted that maize, which contributes over 40% of ethanol supplied under the programme, requires significantly less irrigation than paddy and is being promoted through higher minimum support prices.

E20 Is Not An Experimental Fuel

The ministry said ethanol-blended petrol has been in use across several countries, including the United States, Brazil, Canada, Thailand, Japan and European nations, for decades.

Fuel Efficiency And Vehicle Performance

Citing Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)-led trials, the government said testing over about 40,000 km in passenger cars and 20,000 km in two-wheelers found no significant impact on drivability or fuel efficiency, with only “marginal” changes in mileage. Vehicles designed for E20 can also benefit from ethanol’s higher octane rating, it added.

Engine Damage

Rejecting claims that E20 harms engines or corrodes vehicle components, the ministry referred to studies by ARAI, Indian Oil Corporation, the Indian Institute of Petroleum and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

These found no compatibility issues with metal or plastic parts, though some rubber components in older vehicles may need earlier replacement.

Warranty And Insurance

The government said using E20 fuel does not invalidate warranties or insurance for vehicles that are designed or approved to run on the blend, citing clarifications from automobile manufacturers and insurers.

Ants And Bees

Responding to viral posts claiming insects are attracted to E20 because it contains sugar, the ministry said fuel-grade ethanol is distilled to remove residual sugars and contains denaturants that repel insects. It added that the smell of petrol dominates the blended fuel.

E20 Programme Is An Experiment

The ministry denied assertions that it had called the E20 programme an “experiment” before the Supreme Court.

Also Read: India Removes Excise Duty On Higher Ethanol-Blended Petrol

It said the proceedings were related to contractual provisions governing ethanol procurement and not the merits of ethanol blending. The Office of the Attorney General has also clarified that media reports claiming otherwise were inaccurate.

Water Entering Fuel Tanks

Dismissing concerns that E20 absorbs water and allows it to enter vehicle fuel tanks, the ministry said modern vehicles and fuel retail infrastructure have safeguards to prevent water ingress.

Sugarcane Juice Videos

Viral videos purportedly showing sugarcane juice being mixed with petrol are fabricated, the ministry said, adding that fuel ethanol is produced through industrial processes and blended according to prescribed quality standards.

Environmental Impact

The government said ethanol plants operate under statutory environmental clearances, groundwater regulations and Zero Liquid Discharge norms. It also highlighted the programme’s benefits, saying it has helped save over Rs 1.9 lakh crore in foreign exchange, enabled payments of more than Rs 1.6 lakh crore to farmers, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 930 lakh metric tonnes and displaced over 310 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil imports since 2014-15.

In December 2025, India achieved its target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol, way ahead of schedule, after blending levels increased from about 1.5% in 2013-14, according to the ministry.

The ministry added that installed ethanol production capacity has reached around 2,000 crore litres, while procurement is projected to exceed 1,200 crore litres during the 2025-26 ethanol supply year.

With inputs from PTI