[Shreyans_Jain]

Doesn't the transportation minister have a vested interest in ethanol blending? Gadkari is a sugar baron after all.

[distiller]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Doesn't the transportation minister have a vested interest in ethanol blending? Gadkari is a sugar baron after all.

It might appear that way but his production capacity is very small as compared to ethanol requirement for 5% blending.
And today we are able to do only around less than 2% blending. Even if all producers produce only ethanol then also we will be barely manage to do around 5%. And then nothing would be available for potable & chemical manufacturing. In fact many chemical manufacturers are importing ethanol.

[koolguy_ani]

At one of the IOC bunks here in Pune, it was mentioned on the pump that it is 10% ethanol blend that's being dispensed. Is it the norm across all the IOC bunks in general or a select few?

[aaggoswami]

From what I know, Ethanol has less specific energy than Petrol. So will using E10 affect fuel efficiency and cost of fuel ? Long ago I read somewhere that low compression engines not designed to run on E10 had their fuel efficiency dropped by 5-7%. If an engine is not designed to run on E10, running on the same will increase emissions ? Am afraid to use Ethanol in my car as knowingly its not designed to operate on E10.

I hope that one does not end up paying a premium for either regular petrol or E10 after introduction of latter. Somehow, I am not able to comprehend any logic behind this move. Can the government share any data about running a car on E10 fuel which is not designed for it and actual emission reduction, impact on fuel efficiency and engine life. On positive side, from what I have read, Ethanol has higher Octane number and generates less heat (which I am not sure is a positive or a negative aspect).

Wonder how SIAM/manufacturers react to this.

[coolkurt]

The issue that I have with this Flex fuel is that it's prone to water contamination.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by coolkurt

The issue that I have with this Flex fuel is that it's prone to water contamination.

That's definitely true because ethanol starts absorbing moisture from the air if not stored properly.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

.....
Long ago I read somewhere that low compression engines not designed to run on E10 had their fuel efficiency dropped by 5-7%. If an engine is not designed to run on E10, running on the same will increase emissions ? Am afraid to use Ethanol in my car as knowingly its not designed to operate on E10.
......

I have the same apprehensions mate.
I own a Zest Revotron. BHPian arindam_xeta has the same car and he had reported problems in his car due to E10 fuel usage in November 2016.
In his last post on the above thread, he mentions that TML advised him to use only normal petrol.

[distiller]

I think the car manufacturers are specifying the fuel quality requirements in the owners manual.
If the engine & related components are designed for 10% ethanol blend you shouldn't experience any drop in performance.
The ethanol's calorific value is less than that of Petrol so definitely there will be drop in mileage but it being high on octane number it avoids engine knocking phenomenon.
Also both the ethanol & Petrol have different densities, so if the car is standing for long both fuels might get separated with ethanol being at bottom 🙁
I think this is a very good initiative although execution needs to be perfect!

[Jeroen]

The biggest problem with ethanol is the fact it is much more aggressive on metal and other materials then regular fuel. Don't worry so much about performance, but about gaskets, rubber seals and also the fuel tank. Some will dissolve over time during prolonged E10 use. E10has been introduced in various European countries and its now also starting in my home country the Netherlands.

So there are a bunch a website that give you information about the suitability of your particular car running on E10. We still have a good alternative in the shape of Euro 98,which is still ethanol free. But its a bit more expensive. On the up-site, any car designed to run on Euro 95 or 98 will run fine on Euro 98.

Jeroen

[tarik.arora]

Just read an article on ET Auto which states that Ethanol blending is now 6.2% and we are on target to reach 10% by 2022.

https://auto.economictimes.indiatime...d-6-2/69967728

[NaXal]

I am from Kolkata and usually I refill from a COCO HP Pump.

I see all the Petrol Fuel dispenser machines there have a sticker with clear marking saying "10% Ethanol"

[carboy]

Do all pumps in Bombay now have ethanol blended fuel? Is there any place to get ethanol free petrol?

[wheelguy]

Methanol blend on cards, India may trim oil import bill by Rs 5k crore.

Gadkari writes to petroleum minister to ensure availability of methanol-blended fuel, which will help cut the consumer’s fuel expenses by 10%.

New Delhi: The government is looking at introducing methanol-blended fuel pan India — a move that can potentially reduce one’s fuel bill by at least 10%, lower vehicular pollution levels by over 30%, and save the exchequer ₹5,000 crore in annual import bill.

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has written to petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, asking him to “make all efforts” to make methanol widely available for commercial use at fuel stations, officials told ET.

Currently, vehicles in India use up to 10% ethanol-blended fuel. But the cost of ethanol production is comparatively high at ₹42 a litre. Methonol, or methyl alcohol, is estimated to cost less than ₹20 a litre.

Indian Oil Corporation is already making M15 blended fuel — with 15% methanol and 85% petrol — available for commercial use.

Its been 7 years since we first read similar news and still we are reading such news articles time and again but execution is taking time except for few pilots here & there.

Source: ET Auto

[shankar.balan]

I ve been using only Shell V Power. Does this have a certain amount of Ethanol or Methanol in it? Considering it is so called “high octane” and I read that it is RON 99 whereas normal Shell is RON 95. Is this true?
Any enlightenment will be appreciated.

[Gansan]

^^ Shell V Power is not 99 octane, it is same octane as their unleaded petrol. But I have read somewhere that any premium petrol, not necessarily Shell, does not contain ethanol as of now.