The Indian Oil Corporation is ready to roll out BS VI grade fuel in New Delhi from April next, said its Chairman Sanjiv Singh here on Friday.
Talking to reporters after the inauguration of a national conference on “IC engines and combustion” at the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, Mr. Singh said the IOC is complying with directions of Petroleum Ministry to roll out BS-VI fuel in New Delhi from April 1. For the rest of the country, this fuel will be rolled out on April 1, 2020.
In November, the Petroleum Ministry issued a statement advancing the roll out of BS-VI fuel for Delhi to April 1, 2018 instead of April 1, 2020 by taking into account the serious pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas.
Mr. Singh said the IOCL was going ahead with production of bioethanol, a bio-fuel, though commercial viability this bio-fuel was a challenge.
The IOC was setting up plants in Gujarat, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where 100 tonnes of bioethanol can be produced per day. The government’s move to allow blending of 10 per cent of ethanol with gasoline will go a long way in making good use of this bioethanol.
NITI Aayog working with oil firms
NITI Aayog member and chairman of the Combustion Institute (Indian Section) V.K. Saraswat said the NITI Aayog was working with oil companies and technical institutions in the country on ways to make use of biofuels and reduce the import bill of petroleum products and Liquefied Natural Gas.
Mr. Saraswat said work was on the way to blend Dimethyl Ether with domestic liquefied petroleum gas. Facility was being set up to produce Methyl canisters which can be used for cooking in lieu of domestic LPG cylinder. Mr. Saraswat said NITI Aayog was focusing on setting up methyl production facility. It was also keen on having methyl conversion kits that can be installed in vehicles run on petrol and diesel engines.
The conference was jointly organised by The Combustion Institute (Indian Section) and Department of Mechanical Engineering of NIT-K.
