Ethanol can now match petrol in terms of calorific value with technology available to enhance its calorific value, said the Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday. He even urged sugar mills in Maharashtra to produce ethanol from sugar syrup directly and set up ‘fuel pumps’ to supply the fuel to vehicles.

Gadkari said that the government with the help of Russian scientists has succeeded in equalising the calorific value of petrol and ethanol and hence the vehicles using petrol and ethanol as fuel will have an equal average (mileage). 

Speaking in Solapur, Gadkari said, “This research has been conducted in Russia. These scientists were invited here and after three months of trial, I am happy to announce that with the formula given by Russian scientists the calorific value of petrol and ethanol is the same”.

The heat value of a fuel is the amount of heat released during its combustion and it is referred to as energy or calorific value. 

Gadkari said that one of the problems in the use of ethanol in India was its lower calorific value compared to petrol. He said that the government was working on this issue with Russian scientists. He added that the development will accelerate the use of alternative fuel.

‘Step up ethanol output’

The minister appealed to sugar mills in Maharashtra to produce maximum ethanol from sugar syrup and start petrol pumps to provide fuel for flex-fuel engines. 

Gadkari reiterated that many two-wheeler companies have introduced vehicles with flex engines and in the next few months vehicles running only on alternative fuel will be running on Indian roads.  

Green hydrogen

Gadkari also said that use of green hydrogen will multiply in the coming days. Gadkari said he has been using a hydrogen-powered car and it is “ best than Mercedes” as it doesn’t emanate smoke and makes no noise.