Business · India Bureau
Centre Defends E20 Petrol Quality After Karnataka Testing
The central government has asserted that E20 fuel meets prescribed quality standards following testing of samples across Karnataka. Tests conducted by oil marketing companies showed ethanol content within acceptable limits.
LSN India ·
The oil ministry has moved to address concerns over E20 petrol quality after a testing exercise in Karnataka. The government said that 56 samples collected from different locations across the state and supplied by all three major oil marketing companies (OMCs) were found to meet prescribed specifications.
According to the ministry's findings, the tested samples recorded ethanol content levels ranging from 19 to 20 per cent, with an average of 19.30 per cent. This performance falls within the mandated parameters for E20 fuel, which is designed to contain approximately 20 per cent ethanol blended with conventional petrol.
The testing initiative covered diverse geographical areas within Karnataka and included samples from all three primary fuel retailers operating in the state. Officials maintained that the results demonstrate consistent quality control across the distribution network.
E20 fuel has been promoted by the government as part of its renewable energy strategy and to reduce import dependence on crude oil. The push for ethanol-blended petrol aligns with India's broader environmental and energy security objectives, leveraging domestically produced ethanol from agricultural sources.