Govt sleeps over a great fuel option

Saigal, encouraged by the success of his MFD, thought of ethanol as an alternative fuel and approached the government. The story ends there. “I have been writing to the government since the late ’70s but till now the government has not responded positively,” says Saigal.

Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol) — is a renewable source of energy as it is derived from molasses — a by-product of sugarcane. India has a surplus of ethanol. A point that the All India Distillers Association (AIDA) has been trying to make since 1993. Apart from sugarcane, rice, potatoes, and high calorific bio-mass among other things are good sources of ethanol.

Ethanol as a mode of fuel was first experimented in Brazil in the late ’70s. Since then, gasohol — a mixture of ethanol and petrol — as an alternative fuel is being tried out in several countries in Europe. In Sweden, for example, 90 per cent ethanol is mixed with 10 per cent petrol to run buses.

Experiments with alcohol-based fuel began in India way back in 1991, when the department of the mechanical engineering of the IIT, Delhi, carried out tests on petrol vehicles by mixing 10 per cent ethanol. The tests, carried out on 90 vehicles of the Delhi administration, proved to be very successful.

A report detailing the results of the tests, which was submitted to the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Resources (MNCER) in 1995-96, points out improved performance of the engine apart from lower fuel consumption. Not just that. Pollution level also substantially goes down when ethanol is used.

Saigal is not alone in his efforts to convince the government about the virtues of ethanol. The AIDA has made several representations to various ministries since 1993. “We have been making several representations to various ministries to use ethanol,” says L N Batra, secretary general, AIDA.

The Indian distillery industry, currently, produces only 1,200 million litres of alcohol though it has a capacity to produce 2,800 million litres. Says Batra: “If the government accepts ethanol as an alternative fuel, then, a substanial amount of foreign exchange could be saved.” India’s import bill of crude oil for the last financial year (1999-2000) ran over Rs 50,000 crore.

Despite such a huge import bill, why is the government still deliberating on the use of ethanol? All that a senior advisor to the petroleum ministry would say is: “The AIDA was supposed to provide us with some information but they have not done it.”

Are there any problems in using the ethanol? Well, if one goes by what the Maruti owner’s manual says then technically there seems to be none. The manual recommends the use of five-per cent mixing of ethanol with petrol. “No, there is no technical problem in using ethanol. The only problem that we might have is that the ethanol may not go to the engine. Instead, it may go to the driver,” says R R Gaur, Associate Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT, Delhi.

Currently, ethanol is being used to produce alcoholic drinks. It is also used in the chemical industry. However, experts suggest that ethanol could be made unattractive for human consumption with the addition of some peservatives. These preservatives give it very pungent smell and taste.

Ethanol v/s fossil fuels

* Is more eco-friendly as the emissions of noxoius substances are lower. Compared to conventional fuels, emissions of carbon dioxide in ethanol is lower by 57 per cent, that of hydrocarbon is 64 per cent, and 13 per cent lower emission of nitrogen oxides.
* Is a renewable resource as it can be easily produced from sugarcane, molasses, potato, rice, and bio-mass among other things.
* Saves foreign exchange as the source of ethanol is easily available in India.
* Gives improved performance of internal combustion engines.