ISMA busts E20 fuel myths

India's ethanol-blended petrol programme has once again come under public scrutiny, but the Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has firmly rejected a series of claims circulating about E20 fuel, calling them misleading and unsupported by evidence.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, ISMA said rumours suggesting that E20 petrol damages vehicle engines, attracts insects, voids insurance policies or involves directly mixing sugarcane juice with petrol are factually incorrect. 

The industry body urged people to rely on scientific studies, government data and official information instead of social media rumours. 

The clarification comes as India expands the use of ethanol-blended petrol to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and promote cleaner transportation. 

According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Ethanol Blending Programme has been scientifically tested and is continuously monitored in consultation with oil marketing companies, automobile manufacturers, testing agencies and other experts.

The ministry said there has been no evidence linking E20 petrol to engine failures or vehicle breakdowns since its introduction. It also clarified that fuel-grade ethanol is not raw sugarcane juice. 

Instead, it is produced through industrial fermentation and distillation processes using feedstocks such as sugarcane juice, molasses, maize and broken rice before meeting strict fuel-quality standards. 

—PTI