India
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India Sets Target of 20% Biofuels by 2017
September 12, 2008
India’s Cabinet approved implementation of the National Biofuel Policy that sets an indicative target of 20% ethanol and biodiesel in transportation fuel by 2017.
The country currently sells 5% ethanol blended gasoline (E5) and has a number of pilot projects underway with biodiesel. The ethanol component is due to double next month to 10% (E10), but availability of sugarcane for ethanol feedstock may hinder achieving that deadline.
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Tata Motors Launches Next-Generation Indica
August 23, 2008
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| The Indica Vista. |
Tata Motors launched the new generation of the Indica, first introduced in 1998 and currently the second-largest selling car in the country. Tata has produced more than 1.127 million units of the vehicle in different variants. Pricing for the Indica Vista starts at Rs.3.49 lakhs (US$8,000).
The new Indica Vista, revealed at the Auto Expo in Delhi in January, has been given a complete makeover, and has grown in exterior size and interior space. The car offers a selection of two new powertrains: the new 75 bhp (56 kW) 1.3L Quadrajet Common Rail Diesel engine and the 65 bhp (48 kW) 1.2L CVCP Safire MPFI (multi-point fuel injection) gasoline engine being manufactured at the new Fiat-Tata joint venture at Ranjangaon in Maharashtra.
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Devil In The Details: A Look At India’s “National Action Plan On Climate Change”
July 04, 2008
by Jack Rosebro
India has published its first “National Action Plan On Climate Change” (NAPCC)[1], which outlines the government’s strategy and goals with respect to energy, climate change adaption, climate change mitigation, and resource management.
The plan comprises eight key areas, or National Missions: solar energy, energy efficiency, sustainable habitats, water conservation, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem, a large-scale tree-planting program, sustainable agriculture, and creating a “knowledge platform” on climate change. Each National Mission will be administered by the appropriate ministry.
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Indian Oil Company Selects Hythane Company to Build First Public Hydrogen Station in India
January 25, 2008
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), one of India’s largest petroleum marketing groups, has selected Hythane Company LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australia-based Eden Energy Limited, to supply and install the first public hydrogen dispensing station in India to supply fuel to motor vehicles running on either hydrogen or Hythane (a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas; between 5-7% hydrogen by energy).
The US$1.0 million hydrogen/Hythane retail fuel outlet will be built in the capital, Delhi, at an existing gasoline/natural gas refueling station.
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Tata Motors Unveils the “People’s Car”: the Nano
January 10, 2008
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| Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Motors, introduces the Nano. |
Tata Motors unveiled the long-anticipated Tata Nano—the low-priced Rs 1-Lakh (US$2,550) “People’s Car”—that is intended to expand greatly the market for automobiles in India. The Nano will be launched in India later in 2008.
The Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623cc, 24 kW (33 hp), multi-point fuel injection gasoline engine coupled with a CVT or 5-speed manual transmission. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with a single balancer shaft, according to Tata. The lean design strategy helped minimize weight. Fuel consumption is projected to be 5 L/100m (47 mpg US).
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Ford Plans $500M Investment in India Operations; Small Cars and Diesel Engines
January 08, 2008
Ford Motor Company plans to invest US$500 million to expand its India operations, reaffirming its commitment to developing and implementing an aggressive growth strategy in the country. The new investment will fund several new initiatives, including the expansion of Ford India’s current manufacturing facility in Chennai to begin production of a new small car within the next two years, and construction of a fully integrated and flexible engine manufacturing plant that will go online by 2010.
The new investment increases Ford’s total financial commitment in India to more than US$875 million, and underscores its plan to elevate India as one of the strategic production hubs for small cars in the Asia Pacific and Africa region.
