Alternative fuel can cut import bill: Nitin Gadkari
He said that this was the appropriate time for India to evolve into a methanol based economy
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today said adoption of alternative sources of energy can bring down the fuel import bill of the country.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also urged the public sector undertakings to create start-up funds on the lines of private sector in order to promote innovation and nurture new ideas in the energy sector.
Gadkari said that this was the appropriate time for India to evolve into a methanol based economy.
As rural areas are a source of feedstock for methanol, it would provide additional income and also become a source of livelihood forrural folks. He said that North East is rich in bamboo, which also can be usedfor preparing methanol.
Despite low prices globally, India at present is incurring a massive Rs 4.5 lakh crore on crude imports which was earlier Rs 7.5 lakh crore, Gadkari said.
Besides municipal waste, vegetable and fruit waste could be used in manufacturing bio-fuel.
The minister also stressed on the need to generate methane from coal blocks and said some of the companies who were allotted the blocks were not doing anything which is not fair.
Also, he said that surplus coal from Coal India could be utilised in making gas etc which in turn can result in gas-based urea production.
“We are giving subsidy of Rs 45,000 crore for urea. We are importing urea and we need a research institute and transparent policy. This is the future. It is import substitute, cost effective,” Gadkari said.
He also stressed the need for flex fuel cars on the pattern of Brazil and the US. The minister said if recycled properly, methane obtained from sewage water can fuel CNG buses.
Realising the potential of methanol and DME (dimethyl ether) as a transportation fuel in road, shipping and rail, NITI Aayog constituted an Expert Group to develop a roadmap for India to adopt ‘Methanol Economy’.
The group will explore various techno commercial angles to enhance production of methanol through natural gas, high ash content coal and through bio, agri and municipal solid waste.
It will also draw out a technical roadmap to adopt both methanol and DME as chemical feedstock and for power generation.Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today said adoption of alternative sources of energy can bring down the fuel import bill of the country.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also urged the public sector undertakings to create start-up funds on the lines of private sector in order to promote innovation and nurture new ideas in the energy sector.
Gadkari said that this was the appropriate time for India to evolve into a methanol based economy.
As rural areas are a source of feedstock for methanol, it would provide additional income and also become a source of livelihood forrural folks. He said that North East is rich in bamboo, which also can be usedfor preparing methanol.
Despite low prices globally, India at present is incurring a massive Rs 4.5 lakh crore on crude imports which was earlier Rs 7.5 lakh crore, Gadkari said.
Besides municipal waste, vegetable and fruit waste could be used in manufacturing bio-fuel.
The minister also stressed on the need to generate methane from coal blocks and said some of the companies who were allotted the blocks were not doing anything which is not fair.
Also, he said that surplus coal from Coal India could be utilised in making gas etc which in turn can result in gas-based urea production.
“We are giving subsidy of Rs 45,000 crore for urea. We are importing urea and we need a research institute and transparent policy. This is the future. It is import substitute, cost effective,” Gadkari said.
He also stressed the need for flex fuel cars on the pattern of Brazil and the US. The minister said if recycled properly, methane obtained from sewage water can fuel CNG buses.
Realising the potential of methanol and DME (dimethyl ether) as a transportation fuel in road, shipping and rail, NITI Aayog constituted an Expert Group to develop a roadmap for India to adopt ‘Methanol Economy’.
The group will explore various techno commercial angles to enhance production of methanol through natural gas, high ash content coal and through bio, agri and municipal solid waste.
It will also draw out a technical roadmap to adopt both methanol and DME as chemical feedstock and for power generation.
