New Delhi: Neighboring country Bhutan has currently taken steps back towards adopting India’s E20 petrol. According to media reports, Bhutan rejected the offer of supply of E20 petrol from Indian oil marketing companies saying that it does not have the necessary storage system to keep such fuel safely.
According to the report, Bhutan has made it clear that it has no objection to clean fuel. The real problem is its existing fuel storage system. According to The Bhutanese report, ethanol quickly absorbs moisture from the air. If water or moisture reaches the storage tank, the quality of the fuel may deteriorate and it may also affect engine performance.
Bhutan says that many of its fuel depots and storage tanks are in mountainous areas, where it is not easy to prevent moisture and water leakage. In such a situation, it becomes challenging to keep ethanol blended fuel like E20 safe. The report also said that owners of vehicles that are not E20 compatible may have to bear additional repair and maintenance costs of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 every year.
India has rapidly advanced the E20 program to reduce dependence on crude oil imports, reduce pollution and promote biofuels. Supply of E20 petrol has started in many parts of the country. However, Bhutan’s decision is not likely to have any major impact on India’s ethanol production or domestic programme, as its main base is the Indian market.
Experts believe that if Bhutan wants to adopt E20 petrol in the future, it will first have to modernize its fuel depots, storage tanks and fuel handling systems. Till then, conventional petrol will remain a more practical option for him.
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