Assam government should formulate a pragmatic flex-fuel policy so that the local farmers can get higher benefits out of the initiative
All Assam Engineer’s Association (AAEA) appreciates the latest initiative taken by both the Union government in New Delhi and the State government in Dispur to encourage the use of green fuel in all kinds of automobiles and urges the concerned authorities to launch a public awareness campaign about the alternative fuel for the benefit of automobile users across India.
It may be mentioned that Union road transport & highways minister Nitin Gadkari has been advocating for ethanol mixed fuel (mostly with petrol/gasoline) for the vehicles. Lately, the minister asked the carmakers in the country to introduce flex-fuel engines on a large scale. He argued that the ethanol mixed patrol will be cheaper and it would reduce air pollution drastically.
India today spends around rupees eight lakh crore annually for importing crude oil, gas, and other petroleum products, and the central government decided to reduce the amount with the use of ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, compressed natural gas, green hydrogen, electric arrangements.
The optimum use of ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol) in petrol-powered engines would financially benefit the farmers as the inflammable organic and colourless compound is prepared from agricultural products like grain, sugarcane, hemp, molasses, potato, etc. Presently India has a maximum of 9 percent ethanol blended petrol in use.
Ethanol (symbol C2H5OH) burns in a cleaner way than petrol which usually leaves a significant volume of toxic carbon monoxide (CO is generated due to incomplete combustion of fuel) in the air. Moreover, the low-level blend like 10% ethanol and 90% petrol can be used in conventional petrol engines. However, the increasing percentage of ethanol content (above 20) would need certain engine modifications.