Research Design Standard Organisation (RDSO), the research wing of Indian Railways, has cleared Jatropha bio-diesel developed by Central Salt Marine & Chemical Research Institute for field trials in locomotives.
"RDSO has cleared Jatropha bio-diesel of CSMCRI for field trials in locomotives. A few more approvals are required and possibly in next 3-4 months we shall commence the trials on two locomotives in Jetalsar," a Western Railway official said.
"During initial trials it would be 10 per cent bio-diesel and 90 per cent conventional diesel, but as we progress the bio-diesel content will be scaled up," he said.
Railways use diesel-run locomotives on several routes where electric lines are yet to be laid. Jetalsar (Rajkot district) to Dhasa (Amreli district) is one such line.
"Laboratory tests have been conducted to test locomotives on B-100 bio-diesel (neat bio-diesel), but there are some issues with it. Hopefully once resolved, we aim to run the locomotives on hundred per cent bio-diesel," the official said.
CSMCRI Director Dr Pushpito Ghosh said, "Yes, our bio-diesel has been cleared for field trials by the RDSO.
"Jatropha biodiesel can be produced for between Rs 45-65 per litre assuming all-inclusive dry fruit cost of Rs 8,000 per tonne," an institute official said.
Earlier, the institute's US patented technology to extract bio-diesel from Jatropha was successfully adopted by Vehicle Research Development Establishment, a defence laboratory in Ahmednagar to run a few vehicles on this environment-friendly fuel.
