The document discusses the Indian Railways' consideration of using biodiesel as a traction fuel. It notes that Indian Railways consumes approximately 2 billion liters of diesel fuel annually. Biodiesel blended with petrodiesel can serve as an alternative fuel. The document outlines Indian Railways' diesel locomotive fleet, the key advantages of biodiesel, land requirements and raw material sources to produce enough biodiesel to meet their needs. It also discusses quality standards, initiatives in other countries, policies needed in India, research and development areas, and expectations of the biodiesel industry to support adopting biodiesel use.

1. Policy Considerations
In large scale utilisation of
biodiesel as a traction fuel for
Indian Railways
Government of India – Ministry of Railways
Ministry of Railways

2. Introduction
Approx two billion litres of diesel fuel
are consumed annually by nearly 4,000
freight and passenger locomotives in the
Indian Railway fleet
The annual expenditure of Indian Railways
on diesel fuel is approx Rs.4400 Crore
Biodiesel blended with petrodiesel can
serve as an alternate fuel
Ministry of Railways

3. Diesel Loco fleet of Indian
Railways
• Indian
Railways operate around 4000
Diesel Locomotives.
LOCO HORSE POWER
NO. OF LOCOS
4000
57
3300
12
3100
885
2600
2304
BELOW 2600
694
• Around 100-120 locos are added to the fleet
every year
Ministry of Railways

4. Biodiesel : Key Advantages
Renewable - vegetable
oil derived
Mainstream Alternative
Carbon Neutral : 78% life cycle
decrease in CO2
Simple to make
Non-toxic
Used directly in unmodified
diesel engines
Less noxious - fuel &
exhaust emissions
Used neat or blended in any
ratio with petroleum diesel
Biodegradable
Higher Lubricity - can prolong
engine life
Dramatically reduced
emissions
High flashpoint - safer to store
& transport
Ministry of Railways

5. Policy Map
Ministry of Railways

6. Annual requirement of
Biodiesel
Annual
consumption of
HSD in million
litres
Savings in HSD (in million
litres) as a result of blending
bio diesel
5%
10%
20%
Thus if B10 blend is used by IR, then 200 million
2000
100
200
liters of diesel shall be required annually. 400
Ministry of Railways

7. Land requirement
For 200 million liters/year requirement
Biodiesel Biodiesel
Total
Per Hectare Oil yield Conversion production production in Hectarge
tonnage
in %
efficiency
in tons
Litres/Hectare required
5
30
90
1.4
1588.2
125926
10
33
95
3.1
3688.2
54226
12
40
97
4.7
5477.6
36512
• Land availability with Indian Railways – 44000 ha
• Ministry of Rural development plans for large scale
plantation of Jatropha curcas – 4 Lakh ha of wastelands
• Land availability through Intercropping
Ministry of Railways

8. Raw material
Non-edible oils
Jatropha Curcas (Ratanjyot),Pongamia Pinata
(Karanj), Shorea Robusta (Sal), Mahua, Neem,
Rubber, Tree Seed Oil, etc. etc.
Production of non-edible oils(Linseed, Castor) in
India – 400 thousand tons
Waste vegetable oils
Lard/ Other waste animal fats
Imported oils
Surplus edible oils(??)
Biomass - BTL
Ministry of Railways

9. Quality
Standards
IS 15607:2005
ASTM D 6751
EN 14214
Test Laboratories
IOC(R&D)
RDSO
IIP
IICT
Others
Private Sector
Problems
Long term stability
Compatibility with
natural rubber,
plastics
Purity is process
dependent
Pour point is high
Special
equipments for
certain parameters
Ministry of Railways

10. American Initiative
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GOALS
 Dramatically reduce, or even end,dependence on foreign oil.
 Speed the creation of a domestic Bio-Industry
 To establish commercial Bio-refinery technology by 2010
 Biomass oils can displace upto 10 billion gallons of petroleum
by 2030. Incentives and mandates likely.
 R & D Product Schedule in 6 areas
- Bio- distillation process optimisation
2006 - 2008
- Improved oil extraction technology
2006 - 2008
- Develop industrial products from meal
2007 - 2011
- Improved glycerine refinery technology
2009 - 2011
- Co-products from glycerin
2011 - 2015
Ministry of Railways

11. European Scenario
European Union is the world leader in Biodiesel
production
1.4 million tons of biodiesel is produced in EU
Directive 2003/30 on the promotion of biofuels, setting a
target of 2% market penetration in 2005 and a 5.75% in
2010
Directive 2003/96 on biofuels detaxation
Energy Crops scheme under the Common Agricultural
policy
Sweden, Spain, Poland and Germany have new
legislations for biodiesel
Legislative drafts in Netherlands, Belgium, UK etc.
Investment is increasing and the average size of the
biodiesel production units is getting larger
Ministry of Railways

12. Government of India policies
required in areas of
Financial and fiscal incentives
Tax and duties structure
Subsidies
Knowledge banks
Financial assistance
Micro-credit
National Biofuels Development Board
Core groups on Technology development
Ministry of Railways

13. Research & Development
Plantation methods
Generative Propagation
Vegetative Propagation
Drip Irrigation
High yield plants – 160 types of Genus Jatropha
Heterogeneous transesterification, 2nd generation
conversion methods
Quality Control
Engine Studies/ Optimisation
Field trial
Engine Development Experiments
New Raw Materials
Algae, Fungi etc.
Biomass
Ministry of Railways

14. Contract Management
Public Private Partnership
Vendor selection procedures
ISO TS 16949
Juran’s 16-step vendor development
procedure, etc.
Market friendly contract conditions
Reduction of delay points
In synchronisation with International practices
Ministry of Railways

15. Business Process Management
Steering Committee
Project monitoring committee
Identification of processes
Reengineering of processes
Process Owners
Adequate Financial powers
Obsolescence of departmental working
Project Management
Ministry of Railways

16. MoU with IOC - salient features
Signed in February 2003 for a period of 15
years
Railways has offered about 500 hectare
land to IOC for plantation of jatropha
curcas
81 hectares are under plantation and
normal yield expected from 2008
IOC will take up plantation, extraction,
transesterification
IR will use bio diesel supplied by IOC
Starting with 1-5 % bio diesel Indian
Railways will go upto 20 % depending on
field experience
Ministry of Railways

17. Current Status

MOU with IOC signed

Engine experimentation with imported Soya based
biodiesel completed

Limited Field trials with imported soya based biodiesel
undertaken

Two Diesel Multiple units being run on B5 blend in
Southern Railway

Large scale Field trials under progress in Northern
Railway

Two biodiesel production plants set-up in Southern
Railway and South-Eastern Railway

Plantation of Jatropha taken up in Kharagpur division of
South-Eastern Railway
Ministry of Railways

18. Testing in RDSO
Bio diesel was tested on the test bed at
Engine Development Directorate of RDSO
3100 hp engine under test at RDSO
Ministry of Railways

19. Engine development studies
Brake Specific Fuel Consumption with biodiesel blends
Thermal Efficiency with biodiesel blends
NOx emissions with biodiesel blends
Ministry of Railways

20. Shatabdi Express Trial
• Indian Railways tried a 5%
blend of bio diesel on a
WDM2C locomotive to haul
the
prestigious
Shatabdi
express (2013) from New Delhi
to Amritsar on 31st Dec, 2002.
• Hauling Capacity: No adverse
effect was observed during the
run in terms of haulage
capacity etc.
• Filters: No unusual deposits
were noticed on the filter
surface.
• Fuel Injection System: The
fuel injection pumps and
injector nozzles were also
found
in
satisfactory
condition.
Ministry of Railways

21. Future
Setting up of pilot biodiesel plant at RDSO with
heterogeneous catalyst technology
Biodiesel plants in Zonal Railways
Well to wheel project for biodiesel at RDSO
Transesterification with multiple stocks
Engine studies and optimisation with multi-stock
biodiesel, Jatropha, Karanja, etc.
Development of Industry for production of
biodiesel
Implementation of B10/B20 blended biodiesel on
whole fleet of diesel locomotives
Ministry of Railways

22. Expectations from the Industry

Participate in biofuel plantation, Indian Railways have already called
for Expression of Interest for 44000 ha land with IR

Extraction, storage and logistics facilities development

Import of cheaper non-edible oils without adversely impacting the
local agricultural interests

Quality control facilities development under a central monitoring
body

Develop heterogeneous & other 2nd generation biodiesel production
facilities

Annual requirement of IR is 400 m liters of biodiesel per year with
B20 blend and expected to go up if higher blends are used

Supply of biodiesel at a reasonable cost

Supply the IS 15607 quality biodiesel to IOC who shall supply
blended biodiesel to IR, a tripartite contract between IR, IOC and
Industry

Ensure sustained supply of biodiesel
Ministry of Railways

23. Conclusion
Bio diesel can be used in medium-speed diesel
engines – Optimisation might be required
Use of bio diesel can reduce the amount of
harmful emissions
A blend of 10 percent bio diesel and 90 percent
petrodiesel (B10) to be implemented to start
with
Biodiesel Industry required to develop in India
For price competitiveness Fiscal and Financial
incentives by the Government required
Raw material planning critical to success
Development of second generation conversion
process essential
The associated agencies should actively
monitor the initiatives underway in India to
promote and financially facilitate commercial
supply of bio diesel
Ministry of Railways

24. Thank You
Ministry of Railways