EmTech Spl: Bio fuels can replace fossil fuels

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Biofuels and electricity driven cars can be realistic alternative to fossil fuels and can appreciably reduce CO2 emission in the atmosphere, provided the issues surrounding the harnessing and usage of those fuels are solved and information related to those harmful effects that fossil fuels have on earth are known to masses.

This formed the crux of discussion of panelists at EmTech 2009. The panelists felt that the electric cars are the best alternative to petrol and diesel driven cars, going forward.

However, the panelists felt that there was a lot of scope to improve the existing infrastructure needed for electricity driven car which included more recharging stations and also providing improved batteries which have longer life.

The innovations are at the beginning of the road, felt the panelists.

They also added that, for the bio fuels to become a substitute for fossil fuels, it needs land which is not currently arable and doesn’t directly compete with land which is used to get food.

Indian context, focus on use of algae to create bio fuel should be looked very seriously, they observed.

The panelists also felt the use of bio fuels like ethanol needs to modification in current engine design as ethanol is highly corrosive.