India flips the green switch, rolls out world’s cleanest BS-VI fuel

India has joined the league of a select group of nations as it rolled out the world’s cleanest BS-VI fuel at retail outlets across the country

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New Delhi: India has joined the league of a select group of nations on Wednesday as it rolled out the world's cleanest BS-VI (Bharat Stage-VI) fuel at retail outlets across the country even as the nation is under a 21-day lockdown to contain Coronavirus spread. BS-VI fuel — petrol and diesel — is touted to be the world's cleanest fuel which has sulphur content of just 10 parts per million. The fuel is expected to be costlier than BS-IV by Rs1/litre, but state-run oil marketing companies have decided to maintain the current prices by adjusting the rise against cheaper crude oil.

Global crude oil prices have dropped to a 17-year-low on the back of a steep decline in demand in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic worldwide and a pricing war between Russia and OPEC.

IndianOil, HPCL, BPCL roll out BS-VI fuel at all fuel stations across India

"We are today 100 percent supplying BS-VI petrol and diesel. All the over 68,700 petrol pumps in the country are selling the cleaner fuel from today," Sanjiv Singh, IndianOil Corporation Ltd Chairman, said. He added that the switch from BS-IV to BS-VI was done in just three years — a feat not achieved in any of the large economies around the world.

HPCL also announced that it has switched to the clean fuel across all of its fuel stations in a tweet on Wednesday: "ndia has now switched to World's cleanest fuel, BS VI! A greener & cleaner fuel, BS VI, is available at all #HPCL Retail Outlets across the Nation. It is a big step towards sustainable development of the nation and we are proud to be part of it. #HarEkKaamDeshKeNaam."

HPCL is proud to enable the transition from BS IV to BS VI grade fuel, the cleanest fuel in World. With reduced vehicular emissions and better air quality, it is Earth's best friend for a greener future.#HarEkKaamDeshKeNaam #BSVI @dpradhanbjp @PetroleumMin pic.twitter.com/sglNgRBO3w
— Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (@HPCL) April 1, 2020

"Bharat Petroleum rolls out BS – VI Grade Fuel across our network of more than 16,000 Fuel Stations from today. Experience the lowest emissions drive from today. #HarEkKaamDeshKeNaam," said BPCL in a tweet.

Bharat Petroleum rolls out BS – VI Grade Fuel across our network of more than 16,000 Fuel Stations from today. Experience the lowest emissions drive from today. #HarEkKaamDeshKeNaam pic.twitter.com/3AxwC42oXR
— Bharat Petroleum (@BPCLimited) April 1, 2020

The backdrop

India is implementing the new emission norms after two decades of rolling out BS-I emission norms. The country had introduced BS-II for new cars in Delhi from 2000 and had extended it to other metro cities in 2001.

India adopted BS-III fuel with sulphur content of 350 ppm in 2010 and then BS-IV, with a sulphur content of 50 ppm, was rolled out seven years later.

PSU Watch had earlier reported that state-owned refineries had spent a total of Rs 35,000 crore to tune the plants for refining the ultra-low sulphur fuel.