Kochi (Kerala), Oct 23 (IANS) A newly developed LPG kit that could be an economical and environment-friendly alternative to kerosene as fuel for fishing boats was on display at the Fifth India International Boat Show (IIBS) here.

The kit, developed by Dehradun-based Gas Tech Electronics, is being marketed by their sister concern Alfa Eco Systems.

The LPG kit has become hugely popular among fishermen in Gujarat since its launch there earlier this year, said Ashish Shah of Alfa Eco Systems.

'Over 5,000 LPG kits have been sold there. This is an economical as well as ecologically friendly product, which is compatible with two and four-stroke boat engines. This would also reduce emissions by 80 percent,' Shah told IANS.

The kit would cost Rs.9,000 for a two-stroke engine Rs.6,500 for a four-stroke engine.

'While it takes five litres of kerosene to run an 8 bhp engine for one hour in the high seas, it takes just 750 gm of LPG for our kit,' explained Shah, who also received an award in the innovative technology category at the IIBS that concluded Sunday.

But V. Vivekanandan, chief of the South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies, said they had tried a few similar kits over the last few years but were not completely satisfied with them.

'But I have heard that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and another firm have started trials. If the prices mentioned by Alfa are true, then the investment on it could be recovered well under a month,' said Vivekanandan.

Kerala Fisheries Minister S. Sarma said he has asked authorities in Matsyafed, the apex federation of fisherman co-operative societies in Kerala, to look into the technical aspects and study the claims made by companies producing the LPG kits.

'We have already announced that the government would provide subsidy for 15,000 such kits,' said Sarma.

The IIBS business exhibition show had special segments on leisure boating, marine equipment, marine engines, navigational and telecommunication aids.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service Kochi (Kerala), Oct 23 (IANS) A newly developed LPG kit that could be an economical and environment-friendly alternative to kerosene as fuel for fishing boats was on display at the Fifth India International Boat Show (IIBS) here.

The kit, developed by Dehradun-based Gas Tech Electronics, is being marketed by their sister concern Alfa Eco Systems.

The LPG kit has become hugely popular among fishermen in Gujarat since its launch there earlier this year, said Ashish Shah of Alfa Eco Systems.

'Over 5,000 LPG kits have been sold there. This is an economical as well as ecologically friendly product, which is compatible with two and four-stroke boat engines. This would also reduce emissions by 80 percent,' Shah told IANS.

The kit would cost Rs.9,000 for a two-stroke engine Rs.6,500 for a four-stroke engine.

'While it takes five litres of kerosene to run an 8 bhp engine for one hour in the high seas, it takes just 750 gm of LPG for our kit,' explained Shah, who also received an award in the innovative technology category at the IIBS that concluded Sunday.

But V. Vivekanandan, chief of the South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies, said they had tried a few similar kits over the last few years but were not completely satisfied with them.

'But I have heard that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and another firm have started trials. If the prices mentioned by Alfa are true, then the investment on it could be recovered well under a month,' said Vivekanandan.

Kerala Fisheries Minister S. Sarma said he has asked authorities in Matsyafed, the apex federation of fisherman co-operative societies in Kerala, to look into the technical aspects and study the claims made by companies producing the LPG kits.

'We have already announced that the government would provide subsidy for 15,000 such kits,' said Sarma.

The IIBS business exhibition show had special segments on leisure boating, marine equipment, marine engines, navigational and telecommunication aids.

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/article_1213543.php/
New_LPG_kit_for_fishing_boats

NEW DELHI: For those drawing consolation from domestic coal reserves for underplaying the impact of international oil prices on the economy, here is a reminder.

A new National Energy Map for India, prepared by the Energy and Resources Institute, along with the office of the principal scientific advisor, has predicted that in a high growth scenario, import dependency for coking coal will increase to 85% in 2031. The figure amounts to 2,475 million tonnes of coal imports, creating the need for securing supplies. Import dependency, in fact, will be across all the energy sectors, be it crude oil, coal or even nuclear, but as R Chidambaram, principal scientific advisor to the Union government, puts it, "In the short term, we need the world, but in the long term, the world will need us (for nuclear technology)."

The high growth scenarios assume 10% GDP growth uniformly over the modelling timeframe of 2001-2031. The dependence on foreign coal reserves, and thereby insulating the economy from international fluctuations, stands reduced 1% to 84% in case highest efficiency gains are brought into the economy.

Assuming 8% GDP growth in the business-as-usual scenario, this dependency reduces to 75%, but as the report points out "even at the current coal price of $60 a tonne for imported coal, this would translate to an enormous drain with the country's foreign exchange outflow on coal import expected to reach around Rs 4,00,000 crore in the business as usual scenario in the year 2031".

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1061177

In wide-ranging recommendations for the industry as well as the consumers, the National Energy Map for India has recommended more use of renewable energy including CNG and providing energy efficient technology at an affordable price for consumers.

Releasing the report on Monday, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the government, Dr R Chidambaran, said that India could grow only if it is driven by energy production. "We have to look at all sectors and meet the anticipated demand by 2030," he said.

The report projects that by 2030 the commercial energy requirement will increase to 2123 million tonne of oil equivalent from the present 391.
"It is a huge challenge," said Dr RK Pachauri, Director-General, The Energy and Research Institute (TERI), which has conducted the study.

In the report, TERI tried to give some solutions to meet the demand. "To reduce its dependence on imports of all the conventional energy fuels, the country needs to undertake all possible options on the demand and supply side simultaneously to reduce its total energy requirements as well as diversify its fuel resource mix," the report stated.

For the industry, TERI had made specific recommendations to ban import of second hand machinery, use cleaner fuels, facilitate shift towards cogeneration, tapping waste heat to process heat and provide support.

In the residential sector, TERI has recommended that sale of compact fluorescent lamps and tube-lights should be encouraged in place of light bulbs.

"The government should introduce energy efficiency tools in construction project as it could lead to huge saving on domestic power sector," Pachauri said.
Chidambaran, however, was optimistic that India will soon be a market for nuclear energy.

"We are doing well in heavy water reactors, fast feeder reactors and thorium based reactors. It is only light water reactors for which we will have to import technology. This also can be later indigenously developed," he said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1832207,0008.htm