By akansha, Section Transportation Posted on Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 11:54:49 PM EST Athletes and officials staying at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Village may get to travel on vehicles that will run on a newage green fuel. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has asked the government for land at the Village site to set up a hydrogen-CNG (HCNG) filling station.
The green fuel is known to reduce both carbon di-oxide and NOx levels in emissions and promises better mileage. It is still in the testing stage and would be available commercially only in another three years or so.
The first HCNG station will be inaugurated at Dwarka shortly. According to officials, the station would be used for fuelling IOC's demonstration fleet, comprising 10 vehicles at present, including five three-wheelers and three mini-buses.
The station at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Village would be used for demonstration vehicles. But if the government opts for it, the vehicles could be used to ferry people around within the Village premises.
Sources say that for this specific project, production of hydrogen will involve partial use of solar energy as well.
Source: Times Of India Hydrogen-CNG fuel to debut during Games
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``We have been working on the project for the past two years. A fleet of 10 vehicles is ready. We will try and increase it to 50 in another three years. The safety code standards are being worked upon and we hope to make the fuel commercially available in three to five years,'' said Dr R K Malhotra, executive director (R&D), IOC.
At present, the HCNG blend has 20% hydrogen and 80% CNG according to volume. The hydrogen is being prepared locally at the Dwarka station. Addition of hydrogen would make the fuel much cleaner as critics of CNG fault it for its high NOx emission.
``This particular problem will be taken care of with addition of hydrogen. The blend would also give a better mileage since HCNG is 1.13 times as much as CNG in terms of volume,'' said an official.
At present, there are two receptacles required for fuelling, one for CNG and another for hydrogen. That is the only additional cost. ``By the time we are able to mass produce the fuel, only tuning of engines would be required and, hence, costs involved for the conversion would be minimal. The blend would cost about as much as ordinary CNG,'' said Malhotra.
``However, we are looking at converting to pure hydrogen in the long run. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would be 2-2.5 times more energy efficient. However, since fuel cells are very expensive right now, we are working on improving the technology and making it accessible. Engines would also have to be changed accordingly. We are closely working with auto manufacturing units. By the time the fuel is available, vehicles would have a provision to use it,'' added Malhotra.
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