10 Point-Wise Responses To Misleading Claims On Social Media
- The “10,000 Litres of Water” Myth
THE CLAIM: “Producing 1 litre of ethanol consumes 10,000 litres of water” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
Farmers grow paddy and wheat because of MSP and assured FCI procurement for food security — not because of ethanol demand. Only surplus rice, cleared by DFPD after national food security requirements are met, is diverted to ethanol. Attributing the entire agricultural water footprint of paddy to ethanol is fundamentally incorrect.
- Actual water use at an ethanol plant: only 3–5 litres of processed water per litre of ethanol.
- Modern distilleries operate Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology to recycle water.
- Maize — now over 40% of EBP ethanol supply — needs partial irrigation on only ~29% of its acreage and yields 360–400 litres of ethanol per tonne.
- Maize MSP has risen from ~Rs. 1,300/qtl a decade ago to ~Rs. 2,400/qtl, actively incentivising farmers to shift away from water-intensive paddy.
- The “Untested Experiment” Myth
THE CLAIM: “E20 is a risky experiment India is trying out on its citizens” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
Ethanol has powered vehicles for over a century. Henry Ford called it the “fuel of the future” — the 1908 Model T could run on pure ethanol, gasoline, kerosene, or any combination.
- USA: E10 is the standard fuel; E15 is expanding with US Government backing; millions of Flex Fuel Vehicles run up to E85.
- Brazil: mandates E27 today and has decided to raise it to about 35%. Over 80% of new passenger vehicles are Flex Fuel.
- Canada, Thailand, Japan (E10) and several European nations have adopted ethanol blending.
India’s E20 programme is consistent with international best practice — not a departure from it.
- The “Drastic Mileage Drop” Myth
THE CLAIM: “E20 causes a drastic drop in vehicle mileage” — MISLEADING
THE FACTS:
Extensive ARAI-led field trials (with IOCL, IIP-Dehradun and SIAM) covered 40,000 km on cars and 20,000 km on two-wheelers and showed no significant negative effect. Any efficiency decline observed was only marginal.
Mileage is influenced by many factors beyond fuel type: driving habits, maintenance (oil changes, air filters), tyre pressure and alignment, and air-conditioning load.
Ethanol’s high octane (~108.5 RON vs petrol’s 84.4) means vehicles tuned for E20 deliver better acceleration and ride quality — crucial in city driving. Its higher heat of vaporisation cools the intake, increasing air-fuel mixture density and volumetric efficiency.
- The “Engine Damage & Corrosion” Myth
THE CLAIM: “E20 damages and corrodes engine parts” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
The Government tasked ARAI in September 2014 with a dedicated study on material compatibility and emission performance with E20, conducted with IOCL, IIP-Dehradun and SIAM. The findings:
- No issues in drivability, startability, metal compatibility or plastic compatibility.
- Only in certain older vehicles, some rubber parts and gaskets may need earlier replacement — that is the full extent of it.
- Carbon monoxide emissions fell ~50% in two-wheelers and ~30% in four-wheelers; unburnt hydrocarbons fell ~20% versus normal gasoline.
Any future move beyond E20 will happen only after detailed ARAI testing and validation across vehicle categories, in consultation with automobile manufacturers.
- The “Insurance & Warranty Void” Myth
THE CLAIM: “Insurance companies and car manufacturers will deny claims if you use E20” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
Insurance companies and OEMs have clarified that use of E20 fuel has no impact on the validity of insurance or warranty of vehicles in India.
SIAM, speaking on behalf of the entire Indian automobile industry, has categorically stated that applicable warranty coverage will continue to be honoured for vehicles operating on E20 fuel meeting the required specifications.
PIB Fact Check confirmed this misinformation as incorrect via its post on X dated 16.06.2026.
- The “Ants & Bees on Fuel Caps” Myth
THE CLAIM: “Ants and bees are attracted to fuel tanks because E20 contains sugar” — NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS
THE FACTS:
BPCL examined these viral claims. The science is clear:
- Fuel-grade ethanol is produced through fermentation and distillation processes that eliminate residual sugars from the final product.
- Fuel ethanol contains denaturants, which are repellent to insects.
- After blending, petrol’s characteristic hydrocarbon odour dominates any ethanol odour.
- Ethanol-blended petrol actually forms less fuel vapour than conventional petrol.
There is no identifiable attractant in E20 fuel. The claims have no scientific basis. (BPCL clarification on X, 17.06.2026.)
- The “Government Called E20 an Experiment in Court” Myth
THE CLAIM: “The Government told the Supreme Court that E20 is an experiment to be assessed next year” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
The Supreme Court proceedings did not concern the merits of the EBP Programme at all. The matter related to interpretation of contractual provisions for ethanol procurement by OMCs from Dedicated Ethanol Plants — the annual allocation methodology and the ‘best endeavour’ clause.
The Office of the Attorney General for India issued a detailed clarification on 30.06.2026, stating in explicit terms that any suggestion the Government described E20 as an “experiment” before the Court is incorrect and does not represent the submissions made on behalf of the Union of India. The AGI’s office also cautioned the media to report judicial proceedings with due accuracy.
- The “Water in Fuel Tanks” Myth
THE CLAIM: “E20 causes water to enter vehicle fuel tanks” — FALSE
THE FACTS:
As clarified by MoP&NG’s Press Release dated 23.06.2026: entry of water into a fuel tank is undesirable for any fuel — ethanol blended or otherwise.
- Modern vehicles are equipped with design features and safeguards to prevent water entry into fuel tanks.
- Underground tanks at retail outlets carry all necessary safety gear — silica gel traps, gaskets, sealants — to prevent water ingress into petrol/diesel tanks.
- The “Sugarcane Juice Mixed in Petrol” Fake Videos
THE CLAIM: “Viral videos show sugarcane juice being mixed directly into petrol, and petrol ‘separating’” — FAKE
THE FACTS:
MoP&NG has made it clear these claims are misleading and baseless. Ethanol used for fuel blending is produced through established industrial processes and conforms to stringent quality specifications before blending.
Videos showing “separated” petrol are fake — deliberately created to spread falsehood. Ethanol blended petrol does not separate at room temperature.
- The “Ethanol Plants Harm Farmers & Environment” Myth
THE CLAIM: “Ethanol plants deplete groundwater, pollute, and hurt agriculture” — THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE
THE FACTS:
Modern ethanol plants require environmental clearance from MoEF&CC, must comply with groundwater norms, mandate Zero Liquid Discharge systems, and generally run on biomass-based electricity. Ethanol’s carbon is biogenic — no net increment in carbon emissions at the tailpipe.
And the EBP Programme’s record for farmers and the nation (ESY 2014-15 to May 2026):
- Foreign exchange savings exceeding Rs. 1.90 lakh crore.
- Expedited payments of more than Rs. 1.60 lakh crore to farmers.
- CO₂ emissions reduced by approximately 930 lakh metric tonnes.
- Crude oil substitution of more than 310 lakh metric tonnes.
Ethanol blending rose from a meagre 1.5% in 2013-14 (38 crore litres) to 20% in December 2025 — achieved ahead of schedule — with projected procurement of over 1,200 crore litres in ESY 2025-26 and installed capacity of 2,000 crore litres.
Official References
- MoP&NG PIB Release dated 12.08.2025 (PRID 2155558).
- PIB Fact-Check post on X dated 16.06.2026.
- BPCL post on X dated 17.06.2026 (ants/bees claim).
- MoP&NG PIB Release dated 23.06.2026 (misleading claims and old images).
- PIB Release dated 30.06.2026 (clarification on Supreme Court proceedings in BPCL’s SLP on ethanol allocation).
Source: Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas — “Ethanol Blending Programme in India: A Journey”
