World's First Electric Flex Fuel Vehicle

World's First Electric Flex Fuel Vehicle

Launched

This topic is related to Current Affairs of IAS/PCS Prelims Exam and Main Exam General Studies Question Paper 3 Environment Protection.

September 01, 2023

In News:

  • Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the world's first BS-VI (Stage-II), electric flex fuel vehicle.

About Flex Fuel Vehicles:

  • This advanced vehicle is based on Innova Hycross which was manufactured by Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
  • The vehicle has been designed to meet India's stringent emission standards.
  • This vehicle is the prototype of the globally first BS6 Stage II 'Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle'.
  • These are vehicles equipped with engines that can use multiple fuels simultaneously.
  • The technology related to this vehicle was invented in 1980.
  • The fuels used in it can be a mixture of petrol and ethanol or up to 100% ethanol.

Benefits of this vehicle:

  • Carbon footprint can be reduced.
  • The country's dependence on traditional fuel sources will reduce.
  • Use of alternative fuels like hydrogen, flex-fuel, biofuel etc. will increase.
  • The vehicle will also generate '40 per cent' electricity, which will significantly reduce the effective price of ethanol.
  • By operating this vehicle, a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved.

About Biofuels:

  • By operating this vehicle, a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved.
  • Any hydrocarbon fuel, which is produced from any organic matter (living or dead matter) in a short period of time (days, weeks or months), is considered biofuels.
  • Biofuels can be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
  • Solid biofuels are obtained from wood, dried plant material and manure.
  • Liquid biofuels are in the form of bioethanol and biodiesel.
  • Gaseous biofuels are found in the form of biogas.

Categories of Biofuels:

First generation biofuels:

  • These are made using traditional techniques from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil or animal fat.
  • Common first generation biofuels include bioalcohol, biodiesel, vegetable oil, bioethers, biogas, etc.

Second generation biofuels:

  • These are produced from non-food crops or parts of food crops that are considered food waste, such as: stalks, husks, pieces of wood, and fruit rinds and pulp.
  • Thermochemical reactions or biochemical conversion processes are used to produce such fuels. Example: Cellulose ethanol and biodiesel.

Third generation biofuels:

  • These are produced from micro-organisms like algae. Example: Butanol
  • Microorganisms such as algae can be grown from land and water unsuitable for food production, reducing pressure on depleting water sources.

Fourth generation biofuels:

  • To produce these fuels, crops genetically engineered to contain high amounts of carbon are selected, grown and harvested as biomass.
  • The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation technologies.
  • Carbon is detected by precombusting the fuel. The carbon is then geo-sequestered, meaning the carbon is stored in crude oil or gaseous fields or in unused water fields.
  • Some of these fuels are considered carbon negative because their production removes a significant amount of carbon from the environment.

About Ethanol:

  • It is an anhydrous ethyl alcohol, whose chemical formula is C2H5OH.
  • It can be obtained from sugarcane, maize, wheat etc., which contain high amount of starch.
  • In India, ethanol is produced mainly from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process.
  • Ethanol is blended with gasoline to create different types of blend products.

Significance of Ethanol:

  • Ethanol is an indigenous, environment-friendly and renewable fuel, which holds a lot of potential for India.
  • Use of this fuel will help in achieving energy self-sufficiency.
  • Will help in doubling the income of farmers, transforming them into energy providers while continuing to support them as food providers and have a positive impact on the environment.
  • With the use of this fuel the ethanol economy will become worth Rs 2 lakh crore.
  • Agricultural growth rate will increase from the current 12 percent to 20 percent.
  • May help save substantial amount of foreign exchange currently used for petroleum imports.
  • It will help in developing employment opportunities in rural and waste management sector as well as increasing the income of farmers through proper utilization of unusable bio-waste.

About the Status of Ethanol Blending in India:

  • India is the third largest energy consuming country in the world. To meet India's growing energy needs and reduce dependence on crude oil imports from other countries, India began blending ethanol with petrol on a pilot basis in 2001.
  • Given the strong growth in ethanol supply and blending percentage, the Government of India has brought forward the target of selling 20% of ethanol blended petrol with ethanol to 2023 instead of the originally scheduled year of 2025.
  • At 20% blending level, ethanol demand is expected to increase to 1,016 crore liters by 2025. Hence the value of the ethanol industry will increase by more than 500% from about ₹9,000 crore to more than ₹50,000 crore.
  • Currently, India imports more than 85% of its oil worth about Rs 16 lakh crore to meet its domestic demand.
  • By introducing ethanol blending with higher levels of fossil fuels, the government aims to reduce this dependence on imports.
  • Ethanol blending in India has increased by more than 8 times. It has increased from 1.53% in 2014 to around 11.5% (March 2023) thereby saving import bill and also reducing carbon emissions.
  • India's share in global energy consumption is expected to double by 2050. Therefore, the central government has set a target of achieving 20% ethanol blending across India by 2025, which is expected to save Rs 35,000 crore annually in the oil import bill.
  • Bamboo is being used for the manufacture of bio-ethanol at Indian Oil Corporation's refinery at Numaligarh in Assam.
  • World Biofuel Day is celebrated on 10 August. Celebrating this day started in 2015.
  • The theme of World Biofuel Day 2022 is 'Biofuels for Sustainability and Rural Income'.

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Mains Exam Question

Biofuel-powered vehicles provide a wide range of environmental, socio-economic and health benefits to communities. Discuss.