Methanol-blending in petrol reduces carbon dioxide emission: ARAI study

Methanol-blending in petrol reduces carbon dioxide emission: ARAI study

Important Facts:

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) study observation:

• Methanol (M-15) blended with petrol used in BS IV cars lead to reduced CO2 emission in real world condition

Significance of Study :

• Provide evidence based alternative fuel option to India’s huge crude oil import worth 7 Lakh Crore per year
• Base for Indigenous pollution-free technology to substitute import and save money
• Adopting methanol in this scale would bring down pollution in country by more than 40%
• India’s can have its own Indigenous fuels at cost about 19/liter which would be about 30% cheaper than any available fuel

Why Methanol?:

• Methanol can be produced from Natural Gas, Indian High Ash Coal, Bio-mass, MSW, stranded and flared gases
• Methanol is a clean burning fuel which can replace both petrol & diesel in transportation, LPG
• Methanol burns efficiently producing no particulate matter and almost nil (SO)x and (NO)X emissions

Niti Aayog Road Map for Methanol Blending:

• NITI Aayog has drawn comprehensive plan to replace 20% of crude import from methanol
• Production of methanol from Indian high ash coal from indigenous technology would reduce CO2 emission and meet Paris Agreement target of CO2 sequestration (2.5-3bn tonne)
• Almost 40% of Methanol Production can be produced through bio-mass, stranded gas and municipal solid waste

Government Efforts:

• Government aims to increase fuel blending to 20% by 2030
• Ensured assistance in all research efforts in methanol blending
• Government has commissioned Scania buses running on 100% bio-ethanol