SUBJECT :Pollution 

In its move to push higher use of alternative fuels, India will soon notify the emission standards for vehicles that can ply on 85-95% ethanol-blended fuel. This will pave way for manufacturing of new engines that can use cleaner fuel and Indian vehicle testing agencies will give "type approval" certificates.

The vehicle manufacturers will define the level of ethanol blend and it will be displayed on vehicles by putting a clearly visible sticker unlike CNG vehicles which cannot be identified quickly.

The road transport ministry has issued a draft notification setting emission standards for flexi-fuel ethanol (E85) and ethanol (ED95) vehicles. E85 is commonly used by flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV) in the United States and Europe.

Ethanol is a cleaner fuel and burns more completely than petrol and it is derived from sugarcane juice and molasses.

"The newly manufactured petrol vehicles fitted with spark ignition engine compatible to run on petrol or a mixture of petrol and ethanol up to 85% ethanol blend (E85) shall be type approved as per prevailing petrol emission norms ... The newly manufactured ethanol vehicle with gross vehicle weight above 3.5 tonnes compatible to run on 95% ethanol (ED95), shall be type approved as per prevailing diesel emission norms," the draft notification said.

Buses and trucks fall under the category vehicles that weigh more than 3.5 tonnes. "After incorporating suggestions and objections, we will notify the new rule. The focus is to bring in new technology and facilitate the approval mechanism that will help reduce pollution and cut our dependence on petrol and diesel," a ministry official said.

The apex advisory body on setting vehicle standards — CMVR-TSC — in its last meeting also took up the issue of facilitating introduction and manufacturing of bio-CNG vehicles.

At present, only one 100% ethanol-fuelled bus is operating in Nagpur, which happens to be the parliamentary constituency of transport minister Nitin Gadkari.



Source: 25 January, 2015, The Economics Times