Mahindra Starts Trails for its Bio-CNG Fuel Based Buses
Published On Mar 11, 2016
Indian automobile major, Mahindra & Mahindra has inaugurated a demo bio-CNG plant that will supply fuel to CNG based Mahindra buses. The inauguration has been done by the union minister of state for power, coal and renewal energy, Mr. Piyush Goyal at Mahindra World City, Chennai. Mahindra & Mahindra has demonstrated an advanced technology for developing bio-CNG fuel and has expressed confidence that the company can make it commercially viable.
It is said that the plant has a mechanism that works on aerobic digestion of biomass to produce bio-CNG fuel. The mechanism can be further enriched to make it an auto grade CNG equivalent. Eventually, the purified gas will be compressed to 200 bars and stored in cylinders to supply fuel to the automobiles. On the other hand, the manure produced from out of the plant will be utilized as fertilizer for producing compost fertilizer.
The bio-CNG produced from these plants will be initially used to generate power in Mahindra World City and to fuel CNG buses and tractors. In addition to this, the power generated through this process will be will be used as a sources to power street lights as well.
"We hope it will be commercially viable, but we need to bring down the cost for that,” said Mr.Pawan Goenka, an executive director and president Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors for Mahindra & Mahindra
The company has joined hands with IIT Delhi for the purification technology part. Goenka said the company is open to share technology with entrepreneurs who wanted to set up such bio-CNG plant.
It may be noted currently Indian Railways uses biogas for shunting of engines. It was reported that Scania is planning to launch range of city buses that runs on bio fuels (bio-ethanol and bio-gas).
