Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) has taken a pioneering step by launching a groundbreaking pilot study on vehicles powered by E27 fuel and ethanol-blended diesel. This initiative positions HPCL as India’s first oil marketing company to embark on such an extensive research endeavor, aligned with the ‘Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025’. This roadmap aims to drive the adoption of ethanol blending in gasoline (petrol) and foster a greener, more sustainable future.
The roadmap sets a phased plan for attaining 20% Ethanol Blended Gasoline (E20) by April 2023, with a focus on enabling widespread availability by April 2025. Underlining the commitment to environmental progress, it outlines the introduction of E20-compliant materials and E10-tuned engines from April 2023, followed by the production of E20-tuned engine vehicles from April 2025.
At HPCL’s advanced Green R&D Centre in Bengaluru, dedicated efforts are underway to comprehensively research biofuels. The team is meticulously evaluating the performance and effects of various blends of ethanol-gasoline and ethanol-diesel, ranging from 10% to 27%, across diverse categories of test vehicles at the Engine Research laboratory.
Initial findings from HPCL highlight promising reductions in emissions like CO and THC on vehicles fueled with E27, compared to traditional gasoline. Moreover, significant potential for curbing net CO2 emissions has emerged. By incorporating higher ethanol blends in two-wheelers and passenger cars, a substantial contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and a transition to a low-carbon economy can be realized.
Aligned with this initiative, HPCL will conduct ethanol-diesel trials on passenger cars, targeting an initial mileage accumulation of 20,000 km. The pilot study involving six vehicles was launched on World Environment Day 2023, encompassing configurations for E27, Ethanol Blended Diesel fuel, Compressed Bio-Gas fuel, and E20 fuel evaluations.
The pilot study’s primary focus on E27 fuel encompasses assessing its performance and emissions through extended mileage accumulation, targeting 10,000 km for two-wheelers and 20,000 km for passenger cars. HPCL’s next stride aims to achieve 27% ethanol blending, emulating Brazil’s successful benchmark.
HPCL’s proactive stance in green fuel transition is evident with the launch of E20 fuel earlier this year, with 350 E20 retail outlets (ROs) across 21 states. This achievement has already led to a reduction of approximately 3000 MT of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the journey continues, the projected emission reduction of over 200 lakh MT of GHG by 2025 underscores HPCL’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability.