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Biodiesel

  • Tata Chem bio-fuel plant to be operational by year-end

    Eco impact study on Tanzania project Hydrology studies are being undertaken and the Tanzania project would not start until Norconsult comes up with the report.

  • Thermo-physical characterization of biodiesel produced by trans-esterification of Jatropha oil

    Of the several methods available for producing biodiesel, trans-esterification of natural oils and fats is currently the method of choice. (2007)

  • Biofuel blends not as green as they seem

    Despite their green intentions, buyers of blended biofuel may not be getting quite what they are paying for.

  • Govt honour to Pachauri

    The Assam Government will organize an ovation for Dr. Rajendra K Pachauri whose organization Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was awarded the coveted Nobel Peace Prize 2007 jointly with former American Vice-President Al Gore. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will felicitate Dr Pachauri, on behalf of the State Government at a function to be held at Rabindra Bhawan here at 12 noon on March 4. Dr Pachauri, who is also the Director General, the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), will attend the formal launching of DNA Club in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura and a workshop on biodiesel at Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati on the same day.

  • Even as GoM deliberates, some states kick off bio-fuel schemes

    Some state governments, without waiting for a decision by the group of ministers (GoM) on bio-fuels, headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, have gone ahead with their own programme of large-scale plantation of Jatropha. "We have launched our Jatropha plantation programme taking a cue from the Planning Commission's document, National Mission on Biodiesel. We are aware that the GoM on bio-fuels is deliberating the issue. The broad policy of the central government has already been enunciated in the Planning Commission document. The GoM is discussing incentives to be provided and the work of central government agencies in aiding implementation of the programme,' SK Shukla, executive director of Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority (CBDA), told FE. The CBDA, which is headed by the chief secretary of the state, has identified 15.7 million hectare out of 201.5 million hectare revenue fallow land in different parts of the state for Jatropha. Chhattisgarh has 170.18 million hectare of degraded forest land in 17 out of 18 districts which can used for Jatropha plantation. "But for this, we need clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests,' Shukla said. The Indian Railways also owns 7,309.557 hectare land along the tracks and other holdings amounting to 1,096.871 hectare, which can be used for Jatropha, he added. State government agencies have raised about 390 million Jatropha saplings in nurseries and have distributed them free to farmers for planting in 1,55,000 hectare in the last three years. In 2008-09, 200 million Jatropha saplings would be raised in nurseries. Chhattisgarh has also announced support prices for Jatropha seed at Rs 6,500 a tonne, Karanj seeds at Rs 6,000 a tonne and for Jatropha and Karanj oils at Rs 18 per litre. Also, it has framed a new policy for leasing out wastelands to investors. In addition, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being used for Jatropha plantation. The Bio-fuel Authority of Rajasthan, too, has identified 2,106.8 hectares in 11 districts for Jatropha, said PC Chaplot, of the directorate of extension education in Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology. The state is also exploring the possibility of diverting 2% to 3% farm land for Jatropha in the form of hedges around fields for protecting crops, water harvesting as well as acting as a windbreak. In the south, Karnataka has set up an autonomous Bio-fuel Board with members drawn from institutions, agriculture universities, forest and agriculture departments, industry and NGOs for integrated development of the bio-fuel programme and formulating support prices for seeds, oil and oilcakes, KV Sarvesh, of the state agriculture department told FE.

  • Oil companies firm up bio-diesel plans

    With the government planning to start 20 per cent blending of bio-diesel with diesel, Indian oil companies are fast firming up their bio-diesel ventures. The state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), for instance, is slated to announce a joint venture with the Government of Chattisgarh shortly to take up large scale jatropha farming across 36,000 hectares. Oil extracted from seeds of jatropha plant

  • Transportation fuels for the future

    Transportation fuels are the major component of the energy portfolio. Of the 20 million barrels of petroleum consumed each day in the United States, 68 percent is used in the transportation sector. The Western states are in position to become key producers and beneficiaries in the emerging alternative-fuels economy.

  • A chocolate truck to Timbuktu

    Propelled by a unique biodiesel produced from leftover chocolates, this vehicle arrived in Mali's central city Timbuktu on December 22. Nicknamed BioTruck, the vehicle started its journey from the UK

  • Greenhouse India

    <img src="files/images/20071215/38.JPG" align="left"/>What are India's greenhouse gas emissions? The only estimate of India's inventory comes from the government's 2004 national communication to the <font class="UCASE">un</font> Framework Convention on Climate Change (<font class="UCASE">unfccc</font>). Unfortunately, this data pertains to 1994, the year after the country ratified the convention. The government is currently working on its next communication, which has to be submitted in the coming years.<br>

  • Who shall inherit biofuel?

    Biofuels are being touted as the new panacea for climate problems. But because this fuel from plants is being introduced without much thought about wider implications, it's becoming a good idea

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