Tata Motors has initiated an informal project with Indian Oil Corporation for the use of bio-diesel blended fuels in its buses. There is no written agreement between the two companies for the project.

Dr V Sumantran, executive director, engineering research centre, Tata Motors, said the company has initiated a joint project undertaken with Indian Oil Corporation on informal basis to understand the feasibility of using bio-diesel in its vehicles.

He said the company would use the data from the 43 buses plying in and out of the company premises, travelling about 160km a day, in varying traffic conditions and weather. Depending on the data, the programme would be rolled out to include the remaining buses of its 160 strong fleet.

Tata Motors has undertaken several research and development projects for the use of green technology and in addition to fuel conservation and exploration of hydrogen-based fuels the company has also stepped up its efforts to use renewable bio-fuels.

Dr Sumantran revealed that Tata Motors was working on a hybrid car that would have an engine and a motor, and the prototype is expected to be ready by the year-end. Last year the company flagged off two Indica cars running on blended biofuels to test the feasibility of using the fuel.

B M Bansal, director, R&D, Indian Oil Corporation, said 10 per cent of bio-diesel was being blended for the pilot programme. He said the company has developed a process to convert vegetable oil into bio-diesel while giving out by-products such as glycerine and oil cake.
According to him IOC has filed a patent for the process.

According to officials IOC and Tata Motors are using jatropha for the manufacture of bio-diesel, although another option, karanjia, was also available, though it had not been found suitable, he said. The companies had undertaken plantation of jatropha on 40 hectares of land last year while another 30 hectares would be brought under jatropha cultivation this year.

According to IOC officials, bio-diesel was the only alternative fuel that could run any conventional, unmodified diesel engine as it can be stored anywhere and no modification to the diesel pump is needed. He added that bio-diesel emits 80 per cent less carbon dioxide and 100 per cent less sulphur dioxide.

Company officials also that bio-diesel is already being tested in 20 Haryana Roadways buses, which would soon be increased to 150.