New Delhi, July 4 (IANS). Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is working towards adding up to 15 percent isobutanol in diesel. Describing it as an effective alternative to traditional diesel, he said that it will help in reducing India’s dependence on crude oil imports.
In the presence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, at the launch program of India’s first flex-fuel passenger car on June 4 on the occasion of World Environment Day, Gadkari had said that ethanol cannot be mixed directly into diesel, hence the government is working on preparing isobutanol from ethanol.
He said, “Isobutanol can become an effective alternative to diesel. We are also working on allowing isobutanol blending up to 15 percent in diesel.”
Gadkari said that testing of isobutanol has already been started on machines used in construction work and agricultural equipment. Successful tests have proven that this fuel is practically usable.
“I have launched two generator sets that run on 100 per cent ethanol and isobutanol. This proves that engines can be developed that can operate completely on these fuels,” he said.
The Union Minister said that the proposal of isobutanol blending in diesel is part of the broader strategy of the government, which aims to promote alternative fuels, reduce the import of fossil fuels and make the country self-reliant in the energy sector.
He said that the government is also rapidly promoting clean fuels like ethanol, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Bio-CNG, Methane, Biodiesel, LNG, Hydrogen and electric mobility, so that India can move rapidly towards clean energy.
Gadkari said that despite significant progress in the field of alternative fuels, India still imports large quantities of fossil fuels. Therefore, the need of the hour is to diversify the country’s energy sources.
He also appealed to the vehicle manufacturers to accelerate the development of flex-fuel technology and work towards making existing Euro-VI vehicles also flex-fuel compatible through authorized service centres.
–IANS
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