Bengaluru: In an initiative taken by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the organization launched as many as 10 eco-friendly bio-diesel buses on October 2 Friday.
The buses were flagged off by CM Siddaramaiah at the Vidhana Soudha premises in the presence of Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee. The buses will begin operating soon in the city.
The KSRTC aims at having nearly 107 such buses that will run on 20% bio-diesel and 80% petro-diesel (a combination of petroleum oil and diesel). Sources say that there were about 8,200 KSRTC buses operating in the state capital and if the buses were run on bio-diesel, the KSRTC could save up to Rs 5 per liter.
It is said that the bio-diesel that would be used in the buses was a clean burning renewable fuel made of natural vegetable oils and fats that significantly reduce fuel emission. The fuel is prepared through a chemical process that converts oils and fats of natural origin into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). This product could be used as a replacement for petroleum diesel fuel or could also be blended with petroleum diesel fuel in any proportion.
Experts say that the product was environmental friendly and will also encourage farmers in planting vegetable crops and palm trees together with regular food crops in a multi-cropping pattern and will also provide them with additional income. For this barren and waste lands can also be used and will in turn help farmers overcome loss due to irregular rains at least a certain extent.
The KSRTC had begun testing the edible oils such as groundnut, sesame, sunflower, castor oil and non-edible oils such as pongamia for engines since July 2003. Now, the corporation has adopted a 10% blend made of vegetable oil after checking for its fuel efficiency and smoke emission reduction.
Back in August 2005, the Doddaballapur Depot was officially converted to a bio-fuel depot and had 76 buses running with fuel made of 10% vegetable oil.
The state road transport undertakings in the country together operate about 1.50 lakh buses prviding service to nearly seven crore passengers on a daily basis which is three times higher than the Indian Railways. Studies have estimated that 300 crore litres of diesel was being consumed each year with about 35% spent on fuel cost.
(Agencies)