On ethanol, make haste slowly, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Centre is reportedly slowing down the implementation of ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current E20 level.
• India achieved a 20% ethanol-petrol blending ratio, making E20 mandatory for all petrol sold from April 2026, significantly ahead of the original 2030 target.
• The Finance Ministry had recently exempted higher ethanol blends (22%, 25%, 27%, 30%) from excise duty after the Bureau of Indian Standards issued specifications.
• Concerns include lower mileage due to ethanol's 30-35% lower calorific value and potential engine corrosion from its hygroscopic nature.
• Only vehicles sold in India after April 2023 are fully compatible with E20, raising issues for owners of older vehicles.

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Detailed Insights:

• The rapid rollout of E20 blending, which doubled from 10% to 20% between 2021-22, warrants a pause for policy and practical adjustments.
• Ethanol's moisture-absorbing property can lead to corrosion of steel fuel tanks and internal metal components in incompatible engines.
• Transparent communication and potential fiscal measures, such as making higher ethanol-blended fuels cheaper, are suggested to gain consumer acceptance.
• India's high 90% crude petroleum import dependency underscores the continued strategic importance of biofuels and electrification of transport.
• A clear, calibrated, and forward-looking roadmap is essential for higher ethanol blends to avoid abrupt transitions experienced in earlier rollouts.
• Promoting sustainable feedstocks like sweet sorghum, bajra, and other millets is crucial, moving away from water-guzzling rice for ethanol production.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Calorific Value: The amount of heat energy released when a specific amount of fuel is completely combusted.
• Hygroscopic: The property of a substance to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment.
• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): An engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a confined space.
• Biofuels: Fuels derived from biomass, such as plants or animal waste, used as an alternative to fossil fuels.