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No Ethanol Blending in Diesel! Safety Risk Due to Drop in Flash Point; Government Scraps Plan; Major Update on E20 Petrol Too
Major announcement in Parliament! The Central Government has taken a significant decision regarding ethanol blending in diesel. The plan to blend ethanol with diesel has been completely scrapped for the time being. Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, provided this official information in the Rajya Sabha.
Why was diesel-ethanol blending cancelled?
Tests revealed that blending ethanol with diesel causes the fuel's flash point to drop rapidly. The flash point is the minimum temperature at which vapors emitted by the fuel can ignite upon contact with air and a spark. The lower the flash point, the higher the risk of fire.
Consequently, storing diesel, transporting it via tankers, and keeping it in underground tanks at petrol pumps could prove extremely dangerous. For this reason, the government has abandoned the plan.
No Ethanol Beyond 20% in Petrol
The government has also clarified its stance on increasing the ethanol content in petrol beyond 20%. Currently, there is no decision to blend more than 20% ethanol in petrol. The Minister stated that if such a decision is to be taken in the future, the next step would be considered only after conducting all scientific and technical tests and holding in-depth discussions with automobile companies and research institutions.
E20 Petrol Completely Safe: Government's Claim
Regarding E20 petrol, the government has clarified that this fuel is entirely safe. Laboratory tests and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, Indian Oil Corporation, and IIP have shown that E20 does not have any adverse effect on engine performance, mileage, or engine components. The government has also noted that currently, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol vehicles in the country are running on ethanol-blended petrol, and no verified evidence of engine damage has come to light.
Major announcement in Parliament! The Central Government has taken a significant decision regarding ethanol blending in diesel. The plan to blend ethanol with diesel has been completely scrapped for the time being. Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, provided this official information in the Rajya Sabha.
Why was diesel-ethanol blending cancelled?
Tests revealed that blending ethanol with diesel causes the fuel's flash point to drop rapidly. The flash point is the minimum temperature at which vapors emitted by the fuel can ignite upon contact with air and a spark. The lower the flash point, the higher the risk of fire.
Consequently, storing diesel, transporting it via tankers, and keeping it in underground tanks at petrol pumps could prove extremely dangerous. For this reason, the government has abandoned the plan.
No Ethanol Beyond 20% in Petrol
The government has also clarified its stance on increasing the ethanol content in petrol beyond 20%. Currently, there is no decision to blend more than 20% ethanol in petrol. The Minister stated that if such a decision is to be taken in the future, the next step would be considered only after conducting all scientific and technical tests and holding in-depth discussions with automobile companies and research institutions.
E20 Petrol Completely Safe: Government's Claim
Regarding E20 petrol, the government has clarified that this fuel is entirely safe. Laboratory tests and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, Indian Oil Corporation, and IIP have shown that E20 does not have any adverse effect on engine performance, mileage, or engine components. The government has also noted that currently, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol vehicles in the country are running on ethanol-blended petrol, and no verified evidence of engine damage has come to light.
Why was diesel-ethanol blending cancelled?
Tests revealed that blending ethanol with diesel causes the fuel's flash point to drop rapidly. The flash point is the minimum temperature at which vapors emitted by the fuel can ignite upon contact with air and a spark. The lower the flash point, the higher the risk of fire.
Consequently, storing diesel, transporting it via tankers, and keeping it in underground tanks at petrol pumps could prove extremely dangerous. For this reason, the government has abandoned the plan.
No Ethanol Beyond 20% in Petrol
The government has also clarified its stance on increasing the ethanol content in petrol beyond 20%. Currently, there is no decision to blend more than 20% ethanol in petrol. The Minister stated that if such a decision is to be taken in the future, the next step would be considered only after conducting all scientific and technical tests and holding in-depth discussions with automobile companies and research institutions.
E20 Petrol Completely Safe: Government's Claim
Regarding E20 petrol, the government has clarified that this fuel is entirely safe. Laboratory tests and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, Indian Oil Corporation, and IIP have shown that E20 does not have any adverse effect on engine performance, mileage, or engine components. The government has also noted that currently, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol vehicles in the country are running on ethanol-blended petrol, and no verified evidence of engine damage has come to light.
