Bring Back E10 For Older Vehicles. Work Out Food Versus Fuel Trade-Off, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Complaints regarding E20 petrol damaging engines and reducing mileage are largely unsubstantiated for modern vehicles.
• Older two-wheelers (pre-BS4 with carburettors) face genuine issues with E20, including engine overheating and degradation of rubber seals.
• The article advocates for the reintroduction of a lower blend, such as E10, for these older vehicles.
• A critical concern is the "food versus fuel" trade-off, particularly if ethanol blending targets exceed E20.
• India's crude oil import bill is around ₹11-12 lakh crore annually, while the edible oil bill is ₹1.6-1.75 lakh crore.
• Ethanol production increasingly relies on maize and other grains, impacting edible oil cultivation and farmer incomes.

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Detailed Insights:

• Ethanol contains approximately two-thirds the energy of petrol, resulting in a minor 6-7% energy penalty for E20.
• Studies by the Oakridge National Laboratory (US) and India's ARAI and Indian Oil found no increased wear in non-E20 rated cars.
• Carburettors in older vehicles cannot compensate for the extra oxygen in E20, leading to engines running hot.
• Retrofitting ethanol-compatible seals is inexpensive but logistically challenging for an estimated 75-80 million two-wheelers.
• While E20 trims only 3-4% of the crude bill, the edible oil gap is considered more manageable to close.
• Maize now accounts for about half of India’s ethanol feedstock, with grains contributing nearly 67%.
• Fixed procurement prices for maize-derived ethanol, higher than sugarcane, distort agricultural land use.
• Distillation by-products used as animal feed depress soybean meal prices, negatively affecting oilseed farmers.
• The distinction between green water (rainwater) and blue water (surface/groundwater) is crucial for assessing water footprint.
• The climate benefits of grain ethanol beyond E20 are not conclusively established by Indian life-cycle studies.
• The Ethanol Blending Programme has successfully cleared sugarcane dues, boosted rural incomes, and created an assured market.
• Policy decisions on blend levels are largely irreversible, unlike flexible instruments such as procurement prices or import duties.

Key Concepts Involved:

• E20 Petrol: A motor fuel blend containing 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline, aimed at reducing fossil fuel dependency.
• Ethanol Blending Programme: A government initiative in India to mix ethanol with petrol to reduce crude oil imports and promote biofuels.
• BS4 Emission Norms: Bharat Stage IV emission standards, which were implemented in India to regulate pollutant emissions from vehicles.