New Delhi. The Government of India is considering making isobutane blending in diesel mandatory to strengthen energy security and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (V Umashankar) Gave this information at the CII Multimodal Transport and Logistics Summit.
He said that research work is going on on blending isobutane in diesel and the initial results have been encouraging. Since diesel consumption in the country is much higher than petrol, steps taken in this direction can prove important in reducing dependence on energy imports and promoting the use of alternative fuels.
Ethanol based vehicles will get a boost
The ministry has issued a draft notification regarding the manufacturing of E85 and E100 category vehicles. E85 fuel is blended with 85 percent ethanol, while E100 vehicles operate almost entirely on ethanol-based fuel.
Separate fuel dispensers will be installed at petrol pumps for these vehicles. India has already achieved the national target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol and is now focusing on wider use of alternative fuels.
New system for electric trucks
Keeping in view the challenges of heavy commercial electric vehicles, the ministry is also working on tractor-trailer swapping system. Under the proposed system, trailers will be interchangeable in long distance transportation, which will help in reducing battery charging time and operating costs.
Experts believe that electric trucks will require large-scale charging and battery swapping infrastructure. The new system is expected to increase the efficiency of the logistics sector.
Hydrogen fuel projects get encouragement
The government is also promoting hydrogen-based transportation. According to the ministry, early results from various hydrogen logistics projects have been positive and operating costs are close to traditional transportation modes.
Recently, operation of hydrogen fueled buses has been started between Delhi, Faridabad and Noida. Once filled with fuel, these buses are capable of covering a distance of about 450 kilometers. There are plans to develop a network of hydrogen refueling stations on major highways and economic corridors in the future.
New toll system may be implemented by 2027
The Road Transport Ministry is preparing to implement the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll system across the country. Through this technology, vehicles will be able to cross toll plazas without stopping, which will reduce travel time and traffic jams.
The ministry aims to implement this system at major toll plazas with four or more lanes by 2027. Along with this, a plan is also being made to implement advanced traffic management system in Delhi-NCR region, so that traffic movement on the expressway can be made more smooth and safe.
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