The story so far: On September 11, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) was exploring the possibility of blending isobutanol with diesel. Isobutanol is an alcoholic compound with inflammable properties and is used as a solvent in several industries, including painting. Mr. Gadkari said ARAI was studying the possibility of blending isobutanol with diesel, after efforts to blend ethanol with diesel was unsuccessful.
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Is isobutanol better suited for diesel?
The discussion on the potential use of isobutanol primarily stems from the assumption that the alcoholic compound blends better with diesel, and after the blending experiment with diesel and ethanol failed. Ethanol, however, is available in surplus; as a biofuel, it is being seen as an important contributor to the government’s objective of scaling the net-zero emission target by 2070. At the annual conclave of the India Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), Reji Mathai, director of ARAI, explained how isobutanol blended better with diesel compared with ethanol. “There was no need to add any complement [for efficiency], and isobutanol’s properties are better than ethanol for blending diesel. This is one [area] where studies are to be taken up,” he said.
