No E20 to E10 switch, asserts BPCL chief

NEW DELHI: Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), India’s second largest fuel retailer, on Thursday said there is no decision to replace E20 petrol with E10, clarifying that the current debate is over whether older vehicles should have access to a lower-ethanol blend and how an additional grade of petrol could be supplied across India’s vast fuel-distribution network.

In a media call after the company’s annual shareholder meeting, BPCL chairman and managing director Sanjay Khanna, however, said he saw no operational or logistical challenge in switching from E20 petrol to E10 if the government decides to change the ethanol-blending policy.

“I never said E20 will be changed to E10,” he said, adding it was being debated in some circles whether older vehicles should have an option of lower-ethanol blend fuel. That doesn’t mean E20 will be out and E10 will be in,” he said. His comments come amid a wider policy discussion over whether owners of older vehicles should have access to E10 petrol, which contains 10% ethanol, alongside E20, which contains 20% ethanol. India has progressively increased ethanol blending in petrol as part of efforts to reduce crude oil imports, lower emissions and support domestic ethanol production. Khanna stressed that no decision has been finalised on changing the current fuel-blending regime.

“Nothing has been finalised,” he said. “But to answer your question, what if it happens or what are the

It’s only a matter of changing from E20 to E10, or suppose it has to be done. On that account, we don’t see as a company any challenge for that matter. None of the oil companies will have a challenge to go from E20 to E10 – Sanjay Khanna, chairman, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd

changes required? I will say nothing because already we established E20. It’s only a matter of changing from E20 to E10, or suppose it has to be done. On that account, we don’t see as a company any challenge for that matter. None of the oil companies will have a challenge to go from E20 to E10.” It is being debated whether India should make E10 petrol, which contains 10% ethanol, available alongside E20 fuel, following concerns raised by some consumers and industry stakeholders about the impact of higher ethanol blends on vehicles and fuel availability.

“As of now, various aspects are being considered, but nothing has yet got finalised. Once it will be done, we’ll definitely be calling you and sharing it with you,” he said. Asked what changes oil companies would need to make if E10 were introduced, he said the existing infrastructure would not pose a major hurdle.

The distinction, however, is between switching the blend and supplying an additional grade of petrol alongside E20. The latter presents a more significant logistical challenge, particularly given the scale of India’s fuel-distribution network.

Earlier this month, chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran, with Akash Poojari, a consultant in the Department of Economic Affairs, in an opinion piece, stated that India should bring back to petrol variant with a lower ethanol blend to protect millions of older vehicles.