Energy Security - India from BPCL Petrozine

When nothing happens for a long time, people begin to assume that nothing ever happens. But, sooner or later, something always happens. -- Steven Lagavulin India spends maximum of its foreign earnings on importing crude oil for meeting its growing energy demand. On the other hand, Global warming is the looming concern today. Every drop of it is precious. Which is why you ensure zero on the display of the fuel gauge at a filling station? You also ensure that even the last drop of fuel goes into the tank. Smart enough. Then you hit the roads... frequently shifting gears, abruptly braking and stamping on the accelerator at traffic junctions. This is where one turns foolhardy: you are wasting fuel after taking the trouble of ensuring that it is filled to the last drop. According to a study by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association, over-speeding, rash and rough driving, sudden acceleration, jack-rabbit starting, violent and sudden braking, shifting gears without double de-clutching, improper gear selection, clutch riding result in major fuel loss. The present oil price crises raises a doubt in everyone’s mind are we scraping the bottom of the oil reservoirs that it has become so precious. (Oil price has grown more than 300 % in the last half a decade). The world is said to have reached a point of Peak Oil. Peak oil is the point at which about half the oil reserves in the world have been produced. Peak oil is not the end of oil. It is the end of cheap oil. Petroleum in different forms touches different wakes of life in some manner or other. In the form of fuel it is required to drive vehicles, trains ships & airships. In its petrochemical form it is used for the production of all articles (plastics to medicine) that is used by any common man, even modern food production is fossil fuel and petrochemical powered: Pesticides and agro-chemicals are made from oil; Commercial fertilizers are made from ammonia, which is made from natural gas. In short, people gobble petroleum products like any vehicle In view of its multifarious use, the high cost and the low availability, this product has presently become so dear that its impact on the national economy is telling very disturbingly. It is time to call upon our inner selves as responsible Indian citizens to use this precious product judiciously both towards the individuals as well as the Nations interest Can some thing be done to offset this uncanny demand and use of the fuel? Is there no other alternative? Well alternative fuels though available is so nascent in its use, that to commit it as one part of the solution is very difficult. This article is dedicated to the cause of educating about the alternative fuels available for exploiting and the status of their use Alternative fuels, also known as non-conventional fuels, are any materials or substances that can be used as a fuel, other than conventional fuels. Conventional fuels include: fossil fuels (petroleum (oil), coal, propane, and natural gas), and nuclear materials such as uranium. Some well known alternative fuels include biodiesel, bioalcohol (ethanol, butanol), chemically stored electricity (batteries and fuel cells), hydrogen, non-fossil methane, non-fossil natural gas, vegetable oil and other biomass sources.

Demand for alternative fuels In the year 2000, there were about 12 million vehicles around the world that ran on alternative fuels, indicating sustainability. The major environmental concern, according to an IPCC report, is that "Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations". Since burning fossil fuels are known to increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, they are a likely contributor to global warming.     Another concern is the peak oil theory, which predicts a rising cost of oil derived fuels caused by severe shortages of oil during an era of growing energy consumption. According to the 'peak oil' theory , the demand for oil will exceed supply and this gap will continue to grow , which could cause a growing energy crisis starting between 2010 and 2020.Lastly, the majorityof the known petroleum reserves are located in the middle east. There is general concern that worldwide fuel shortages could intensify the unrest that exists in the region, leading to further conflict and war. The production of alternative fuels can have widespread effects. For example, the production of corn-based ethanol has created an increased demand for the feed stock, causing rising prices in almost everything made from corn. However, in a competitive free market, an increased supply of ethanol reduces the demand for conventional fuels, and thus lowers fuel prices. The ethanol industry enables agricultural surpluses to be used to mitigate fuel shortages.   ·                                 Alternative Fuel Types These days, you can drive a variety of cars and trucks off the dealer showroom floor that use something besides gasoline or diesel fuel for a power source. Listed below are some of the alternative fuels that are available today.

Alcohol fuel Biodiesel (B20) Biofuel Biogas Jatropha Fuel Hydrogen Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG, commonly known as propane) Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Natural Gas Electricity

Alcohol fuels are usually of biological rather than petroleum sources. When obtained from biological sources, they are known as bioalcohols (e.g. bioethanol). It is important to note that there is no chemical difference between biologically produced alcohols and those obtained from other sources. However, ethanol that is derived from petroleum should not be considered safe for consumption as this alcohol contains about 5% methanol and may cause blindness or death. This mixture may also not be purified by simple distillation, as it forms an azeotropic mixture. Bioalcohols are still in developmental and research stages. Use of optimized crops with higher yields of energy, elimination of pesticides and fertilizers based on petroleum, and a more rigorous accounting process will help improve the feasibility of bioalcohols as fuels

Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of short chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil, which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. Biodiesel is distinguished from the straight vegetable oil (SVO) (aka "waste vegetable oil", "WVO", "used vegetable oil", "UVO", "unwashed biodiesel", "pure plant oil", "PPO") used (alone, or blended) as fuels in some converted diesel vehicles. "Biodiesel" is standardized as mono-alkyl ester and other kinds of diesel-grade fuels of biological origin are not included.

Biofuel (if cultivated, then also called agrofuel or agrifuel) can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material. Biofuel can be theoretically produced from any (biological) carbon source. The most common by far is photosynthetic plants that capture solar energy. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture. Biofuels are used globally and biofuel industries are expanding in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The most common use for biofuels is as liquid fuels for automotive transport. The use of renewable biofuels provides increased independence from petroleum and enhances energy security. There are various current issues with biofuel production and use, which are presently being discussed in the popular media and scientific journals. These include: the effect of moderating oil prices, the "food vs fuel" debate, carbon emissions levels, sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion, impact on water resources, human rights issues, poverty reduction potential, biofuel prices, energy balance and efficiency, and centralised versus decentralised production models.     One of the greatest technical challenges is to develop ways to convert biomass energy specifically to liquid fuels for transportation. To achieve this, the two most common strategies are:

To grow sugar crops (sugar cane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum), or starch (corn/maize), and then use yeast fermentation to produce ethanol (ethyl alcohol). To grow plants that (naturally) produce oils, such as oil palm, soybean, algae, or jatropha. When these oils are heated, their viscosity is reduced, and they can be burned directly in a diesel engine, or the oils can be chemically processed to produce fuels such as biodiesel.

Wood and its byproducts can be converted into biofuels such as woodgas, methanol or ethanol fuel. Some researchers are working to improve these processes.

Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas originates from biogenic material and is a type of biofuel. One type of biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion or fermentation of biodegradable materials such as biomass, manure or sewage, municipal waste, and energy crops. This type of biogas comprises primarily methane and carbon dioxide. The other principal type of biogas is wood gas which is created by gasification of wood or other biomass. This type of biogas is comprised primarily of nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, with trace amounts of methane. The gases methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. Air contains 21% oxygen. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel. Biogas can be used as a low-cost fuel in any country for any heating purpose, such as cooking. It can also be utilized in modern waste management facilities where it can be used to run any type of heat engine, to generate either mechanical or electrical power. Biogas is a renewable fuel and electricity produced from it can be used to attract renewable energy subsidies in some parts of the world.

Jatropha Fuel: A promising, clean alternative energy. Jatropha is a valuable multi-purpose crop to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation, which can be used for bio-energy to replace petro-diesel, for soap production and climatic protection, and hence deserves specific attention Jatropha can help to increase rural incomes, self-sustainability and alleviate poverty for women, elderly, children and men, tribal communities, small farmers. It can as well help to increase income from plantations and agro-industries. There are various trees that are suitable for bio-diesel production. Out of all these trees, Jatropha must be regarded as a sure inclusion and the foundation around which a plan can be built if for nothing but its pure hardiness and stress handling ability. It is just a tree that has enough credentials. That is why the Planning Commission of India has nominated it as ideal plant for biodiesel.

Hydrogen - a very special type of gas . Hydrogen has been called the "most alternative" of the alternative fuels: if it is made by electrolysis of water using electricity from a nonpolluting source like wind or solar power, then no pollutants of any kind are generated by burning it in an internal combustion engine except for trace amounts of nitrogen oxides, and if it is used in a fuel cell then even these disappear. Furthermore, no greenhouse gases are generated because there's no carbon in the fuel. All that comes out the vehicle's exhaust is drinkable water! Using hydrogen as the "battery" to store energy from a nonpolluting, renewable source would result in a truly unlimited supply of clean fuel. The advantage of using hydrogen to store energy rather than a battery pack is that a hydrogen tank can be refilled in minutes rather than recharged in hours, and it takes less space and weight to store enough hydrogen to drive a given distance on a single refueling than it does to carry enough battery capacity to go the same distance on a single recharging. The battery-electric drivetrain uses energy more efficiently, and can handle the vast majority of daily commute-and-errands driving that people do, but for long trips hydrogen could prove to be a lot more convenient.   The Fuel of the Future, or Futuristic Looking Fuel? Because hydrogen burns nearly pollution-free, it has been looked at as the ultimate clean fuel. When burned, it turns into heat and water vapor. When burned in an internal combustion engine (the kind of engine in gasoline cars today), the combustion also produces small amounts of other gases. These other gases are mostly oxides of nitrogen because the hydrogen is being burned with air, which is about two-thirds nitrogen. Being a non-carbon fuel, the exhaust is free of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide, emitted from our burning of fossil fuels, is causing the world's climate to change.

Liquefied petroleum gas, or LP gas, is one of the most common alternative fuels used in the world today. In fact, in many places, it isn't an alternative fuel at all: LP gas is a mainstay for heating and cooking in certain areas of India and some rural areas of the United States. When you cook out at a campground or in your backyard using a gas grill or camping stove, you're using some form of LP gas. Known for its versatility and efficiency, these days LP gas is looking like an attractive source of energy for people fed up with high heating bills and skyrocketing prices at the gas pump.

CNG The rising prices of fuel and the ever increasing pollution has forced us to think of alternative forms of fuel. CNG can be a very good alternative fuel. It is not only environmentally clean, but is also the cheapest of all fuels. CNG is a fossil fuel and comes straight from the bowels of the earth just like crude oil and is drawn from the oil wells. CNG has grown into one of the major fuels used in car engines in India. In fact, most buses, taxis, personal vehicles and rickshaws have been converted to CNG powered technology. It is the cleanest burning fuel operating today.

Natural gas is a by-product of oil drilling and coal mining, but it can also be harvested independently from natural gas fields. It can be used as a motor fuel in 2 forms: compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is used mostly for heavy-duty trucks and buses and also for fleet usage. Cars and light trucks are available as a special order from manufacturers or standard gasoline vehicles can be converted. Natural gas can be used as a motor fuel as either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Cars and light trucks may be ordered from manufacturers to operate on natural gas, and can also be set up as bi-fuel vehicles: to operate on either gasoline or natural gas. A real plus—if natural gas is available where you live, a filling station can be outfitted right in your garage for convenient at home refueling.

Electricity can be made by many means, from the burning of high-sulfur coal to pollution-free photovoltaic cells (or solar cells). Electric vehicles are generally divided into battery and hybrid classes, depending on whether the electricity is generated off-board and stored in a battery or generated by a small on-board powerplant. Hybrid electric vehicles can be designed to run on any fuel, including gasoline or diesel as well as alternative fuels, and can best be thought of as highly-efficient gasoline, diesel, or alternative-fueled vehicles. Electricity is considered an alternative fuel since it is used to charge the batteries that power the motors in electric vehicles. Electric cars can also be powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of batteries.   Even though the vehicle itself produces zero pollutants, when emissions from the power generating stations from traditional sources (coal, oil-fired or nuclear) are factored in, battery powered electric cars still produce less than 10 percent of the emissions of standard internal combustion engine cars. Add to that the fact that every year more wind and solar generating stations are coming online—making clean electricity more available and accessible. In addition, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles create their own electricity with no emissions at all. Electricity may just be one of the alternatives that could help power your lifestyle, joining thousands of people who have already made the switch.

·                                 Following are major concerns why India drastically needs a national movement on Fuel conservation in order to promote fuel efficiency in each sector of the economy:

World 8 years away from being a living hell IPCC report - May 2007. 450 MMT out of 1100 MMT of CO2 emissions in India from fossil fuels (POL). India 5th largest emitter of CO2 in the world after USA (5800MT), China (4732 MT), Russia (1529 MT) & Japan (1215 MT). Growth of consumption of petroleum products in the Xth Plan was 2.6% annually, when the economy is growing at 8% per annum. Projected growth rate of petroleum products for India is 2.4% per annum till 2030. Efforts mostly on supply side management (SSM) i.e. NELP, acquisition of assets abroad, JVs with leading oil majors for setting up refineries etc. Cost of demand side management is a fraction as compared to SSM DSM reduces CO2 emissions Most developed and emerging nations heavily into DSM Good DSM will ensure that India emerges as an environmentally responsible super power. China targeting for 20% reduction between 2006 and 2010!! Energy Policy for Europe(EPE)2007 :20% reduction in energy consumption by 2020. Japan - 9.2 times more energy efficient per $1000 of GDP compared to India. Energy consumption levels today in Industrial sector in Japan is same as 1973 levels!!! India consumes petroleum products worth Rs 4 lakh Crores per annum !!! A 2 - 2.5 % conservation would result into a saving of Rs. 8000 - 10000 crores per year !!!

With concerted conservation efforts, India can achieve 8% GDP growth rate which could be almost POL neutral !!! objective is to promote efficient utilization of petroleum products in India. On an average, the consumption pattern of petroleum products in India is as follows: Energy consumption levels today in Industrial sector in Japan is same as 1973 levels!!!

Transport (Petrol, Diesel, CNG, Aviation Fuel) : 51% Industry (Petrol, Diesel, Fuel Oil, Naphtha, Natural Gas): 14% Commercial & Others : 13% Domestic (LPG & Kerosene): 18% Agriculture (Diesel): 4%

·                                 Tips on Fuel conservation in various sectors

Transport Sector Industry Sector Commercial Sector Domestic Sector Agriculture Sector

Tips on fuel conservation in transport sector   Delhi alone burns petrol/diesel worth Rs. 994 Crores per annum at traffic red lights Switch off your engine beyond 15 seconds at traffic red lights to reduce your petrol bill Drive your car at 45 KMPH and save petrol up to 15% against driving at 65 KMPH If you drive your car at 80 KMPH, you burn 30% more petrol Correct tyre pressure can save up to 10% petrol Maximize use of 5th gear to get better mileage Drive in correct gear always for fuel efficiency – incorrect gear driving can lead you 20% increase in fuel consumption Keep your engine healthy by regular tuning – it saves you 6% fuel Clean your air filter regularly – dust causes rapid wear of engine components and increases fuel consumption Avoid frequent apply of Brakes. “stop-and-go” driving wastes fuel. Save fuel by anticipating stops and adjusting your speed accordingly Riding the clutch damages clutch linings and causes loss of energy. Keep your foot off the clutch and save fuel Don’t wait for your car engine to warm up. Drive in low gear till the engine warms up and save fuel Share your car for car pool. It considerably reduces your monthly fuel bill Even though a slightly longer route, you get more mileage per liter if you take a less congested route Judicious use of car Air Conditioner can result in considerable fuel saving. You burn 20% more fuel when AC is in use Unnecessary loads increase fuel consumption. A reduction in weight increases fuel efficiency. Check the car manual and oil manufacturers recommendations before using any particular grade of oil. Use recommended grade of engine oil.

Tips on fuel conservation in industrial sector   Undertake regular energy audit to reduce your energy bill Leakage of one drop of oil per second amounts to a loss over 200 liters of oil every year Carry out energy audit in your industry Incomplete combustion leads to wastage of fuel Carry out energy audit to identify wastage Recover and utilize waste heat from furnace flue gases for preheating of combustion of air Carry out energy audit in your industry Reduce heat losses through furnace openings Carry out energy audit in your industry Recover heat from steam condensate Carry out energy audit in your industry Improve boiler efficiency by checking radiation loss, incomplete combustion, blow down loss, excess air and save up to 20% fuel Carry out energy audit in your industry Maintain steam pipe insulation to save considerable amount of fuel Carry out energy audit in your industry

Tips on fuel conservation in Commercial Sector   Carry out energy audit in big buildings to reduce electricity consumption. You can reduce your energy bill up to 35% by auditing energy consumption in your building PCRA has already carried out prestigious energy audits in Govt. Buildings, viz. North Block, South Block, Shastri Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.

Tips on fuel conservation in Domestic Sector   A few minutes of planning ensures a big fuel saving. Pressure cooking saves fuel. Use optimum quantity of water in cooking to save fuel. Reduce the flame when boiling starts. Soak before cooking. Shallow, wide vessels save fuel. Put the lid to prevent heat losses and save fuel. Use of the small burner saves LPG. A clean burner helps save LPG. Allow frozen food to reach room temperature before cooking and save LPG. Plan your meal timings and save LPG or electricity on reheating food. Use Nutan Deep Kerosene Lamp that saves 50% kerosene in comparison to the conventional bottle and flick kerosene lamp.

Tips for fuel conservation in Agriculture Sector   For Irrigation Pump set, low friction ISI marked foot valve can save up to 10% diesel consumption Bigger diameter rigid PVC Pipeline saves considerable amount of diesel in pump irrigation system Pipeline arrangement in Pump Irrigation system should not involve bends to save diesel and sharp bends should be avoided Know your Tractor and stop diesel leakage Turn your engine off when you stop your Tractor Drive your Tractor in correct gear …… always Does your Tractor smoke? It means it wastes diesel Dirt – your engine’s worst enemy… clean engine regularly Match hauling capacity with load Plan your field run

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), which has made its maiden commercial foray into bio-diesel. The company, in collaboration with construction major Shapoorji Pallonji and Nandan Biomatrix Ltd, is forming a joint venture to cultivate, extract, and sell jatropha-based bio-diesel through its outlets.