Auto fuel doping to be mandatory from ’12
Call it the green fuel impact - Indian automakers will soon need to tweak the car engine specifications and designs to cater to the new fuel policy which will mandate a compulsory doping of 10% to 20% of ethanol/vegetable oil in auto fuel.
By Neha Kohli & Rajeev Jayaswal, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Call it the green fuel impact — Indian automakers will soon need to tweak the car engine specifications and designs to cater to the new fuel policy which will mandate a compulsory doping of 10% to 20% of ethanol/vegetable oil in auto fuel.
The government is working on a proposal to compulsorily blend more than 10% green fuel with petrol and diesel from 2017. The recommendation is part of the National Policy on Bio-fuels, which awaits the Cabinet’s approval.
“Targets for operation of petrol and diesel vehicles on bio-fuel would be set on the basis of a road map which would provide detailed rules related to conversion from petrol to bio-fuel in vehicles,” a Cabinet note said. The draft policy was initiated to reduce the growing dependence on fossil fuels and promote a greener alternative.
According to the note, the short-term target is 5% blending by 2012 and 10% by 2017. The government will, however, go for 10-20% blend beyond 2017 as its long-term goal, sources said. This would require vehicle manufacturers to revisit their engine manuals. “Beyond 10% doping of fuel, modification of engines and some automotive parts are required,” Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) director general Dilip Chenoy said.
The note also said that the apex body, the National Biofuel Development Board, will work under the Prime Minister. The nodal ministry would be the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). The board will comprise of ministries of agriculture, petroleum, biotechnology, science and technology, rural development and the Planning Commission.
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The price of biofuels and potential seeds like Jathropa could be determined by the apex body. “If need be, the board is meant to decide the minimum purchase prices of seeds and oil” an official in MNRE said. The policy also proposes to give fiscal incentives to bio-fuel producers with immediate effect. It is likely that the government may provide import duty protection to domestic biofuel producers. The policy will also provide alternative routes for production of ethanol like from cellousic materials. Development of other potential seeds besides Jathropa is also addressed by the policy.
To promote such R&D projects, the policy provides for fiscal incentives in support of such projects. It also asks for modification of land policies at the state level addressing use of degraded land for plantation of such seeds and adopting plantations on a PPP model.
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