New Delhi, Apr 18 (KNN) As an initiative to deliver alternative source of fuel energy, Indian Railways will soon set up plants to manufacture diesel for mechanical traction with technology patented by scientists at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP).

“I am glad to announce that diesel conforming to Euro-5 specifications in sulphur content has become a reality thanks to the CSIR-IIP and GAIL’s diligence and ingenuity,” said Union Minister for Science and Technology and Vice President, CSIR, Harsh Vardhan during a visit to Dehradun on Friday.

He inaugurated the Advanced Triblogy Research Centre at Indian Institute of Petroleum.

The minister said CSIRP-IIP’s main focus of its present R&D thrust is reducing India’s high dependence on imports and sparing the fossil fuels for the future generations.

“We are the first to have the capability to convert 1 tonne of broken buckets, mugs, toothpaste tubes, bottle caps and other Polyolefins products into 850 litres of the cleanest grade of diesel,” he said.

CSIR-IIP has also success in a project to produce low-carbon jet fuel from the inedible, drought-resistant Jatropha plant.

“Jatropha apart, CSIR-IIP has the knowledge to make jet fuel out of any non-edible oil - even the waste cooking oil from our kitchens is soon to become prized material in the market,” said Vardhan.

He also informed that the institute has developed a world class sweetening catalyst which helps to remove excessive foul smelling mercaptans from LPG.

“After capturing the Indian market, recently 600 Kg of this new material hit the international market,” he said.

Vardhan emphasised the importance of imparting necessary skills to operate and optimize plant operations at the international level.

“Energy and environment are two side of the same coin. I urge our scientists to constantly strive to develop new technologies and products with zero defect and zero effect which can help to produce a higher GDP per unit of energy consumed,” he added. (KNN/ST)