IIT Study Backs E20 Petrol, Jindal Defends Ethanol Push

JSW Group Chairman and Managing Director Sajjan Jindal has defended India’s E20 and E25 ethanol blending programme, calling it a “pro-India” initiative rather than an anti-consumer measure. He said increasing ethanol blending helps reduce the country’s crude oil import bill, strengthens foreign exchange reserves, supports farmers through higher demand for domestically produced ethanol, and moves India closer to energy independence.

His remarks come as concerns continue to circulate over the impact of E20 petrol on vehicle performance. However, fresh research from IIT Kanpur has found no scientific evidence that E20 fuel damages vehicle engines. Researchers said extensive testing on both newer and older vehicles showed no signs of increased engine wear or corrosion, dismissing social media claims as scientifically unsupported.

The study also concluded that any reduction in fuel efficiency with E20 petrol remains below 5%, which researchers say falls within normal testing variations. Led by Professor Avinash Kumar Agarwal, the research highlights that while higher ethanol blends like E85 require specially designed vehicles, E20 is suitable for regular commercial vehicles when used according to manufacturer recommendations.

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