Centre invites public comments for introducing adoption of E20 fuel

Adoption of E20 fuel means blending of 20% of ethanol with gasoline as an automotive fuel

The government on Friday said it has invited public comments for introducing adoption of E20 fuel to promote green fuel like ethanol.

Adoption of E20 fuel means blending of 20 per cent of ethanol with gasoline as an automotive fuel.

The move assumes significance in the wake of Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stressing on promoting green fuel like ethanol to reduce huge Rs 8 lakh crore crude import dependence.

The minister on Thursday said that the government aspires to take the ethanol economy to Rs 2 lakh crore in the next five years from Rs 22,000 crore at present.

"The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has published a draft notification... seeking comments from the public for adoption of E20 fuel, i.e, blend of 20 per cent of ethanol with gasoline, as an automotive fuel and for the adoption of mass emission standards for this fuel," the ministry said in a statement.

The notification facilitates the development of E20 compliant vehicles.

It will also help in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, etc, the statement said.

The move will help reduce the oil import bill, thereby saving foreign exchange and boosting energy security, it added.

"The compatibility of the vehicle to the percentage of ethanol in the blend of ethanol and gasoline shall be defined by the vehicle manufacturer and the same shall be displayed on the vehicle by putting a clearly visible sticker," the statement said.