India instigated first R&D capability for high-end fuels, gas

India has recently announced first of its kind petroleum Research & Development (R&D) facility for testing the high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions, according to an official in New Delhi.

Managed by state-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the R&D facility is intended to test all kind of fuel including petrol, diesel, ethanol-blended petrol, bio-diesel, CNG, LNG, hydrogen-CNG and 2G-ethanol blends in order to make certain that they convene the better BS-VI norms that are to be put into practice across the country by April 2020, a Petroleum Ministry statement said. 

This facility was inaugurated by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Faridabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) recently.

"In addition to generating emission data, the facility will also evaluate the fuel blends for energy-efficiency and engine durability," it said. 

On the occasion, Pradhan praised the IOC scientists for making a "nano-additised battery for use in e-rickshaws, with better efficiency and longer life than commercially available batteries."

"The minister also lauded the efforts of Indian Oil R&D in commercializing Indane Nanocut - the industrial version of LPG for the metal-cutting industry." 

Pradhan also anticipated that IOC would also seize a "quantum leap" in option and renewable fuel research ground in the next 3-4 years, the statement added.