The US Department of Energy announced the selections for three consortia that will make up the $125-million US-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC). These consortia—led in theUS by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the University of Florida, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)—will bring together experts... Read more →

Indigo Manza Hybrid. Click to enlarge. Tata Motors showcased its alternate fuel technology capability at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012 by displaying four concepts: the Tata Nano CNG; the Tata Indigo Manza diesel-electric hybrid; the Tata Starbus Fuel Cell (hydrogen); and the Tata Magic Iris CNG. The Tata Motors... Read more →

The new EcoSport. Click to enlarge. Ford is bringing its global EcoBoost powertrain technology to India for the first time with the debut of the 3-cylinder, 1.0L EcoBoost engine (earlier post) for the all-new Ford EcoSport, being previewed at Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi. Despite its small capacity and... Read more →

Scientists are working to better understand atmospheric brown clouds and their effects. Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation Click to enlarge. Pollution is making Arabian Sea cyclones more intense, according to a study in the journal Nature. Historically, prevailing wind shear patterns prohibit cyclones in the Arabian Sea from... Read more →

Light-duty vehicle sales, 2010 vs. 2020. Source: J.D. Power. Click to enlarge. India surpassed France, the United Kingdom and Italy to become the sixth-largest automotive market in the world in 2010, and it is expected to become one of the three largest automotive markets in the world by 2020, according... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., have developed a simulator able to predict tropospheric ozone concentrations across the whole of South and East Asia. The project was carried out in collaboration with Tsinghua University in China, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India, and the... Read more →

Map of deal interests. Click to enlarge. Reliance Industries Limited and BP have entered a strategic partnership across the full value chain in India. The partnership will see BP taking a 30% stake in 23 oil and gas production sharing contracts that Reliance operates in India, including the producing KG... Read more →

Fuel-based particulate matter emission factors (A: PM2.5 mass, B: organic carbon fraction (OC/PM), C: elemental carbon fraction (EC/PM)), global warming commitment (D: GWC-Kyoto, E: GWC-All), and F: fuel consumption. Credit: ACS, Reynolds et al. Click to enlarge. Chassis dynamometer emission testing conducted on 30 in-use Indian auto-rickshaws—two-stroke and four-stroke CNG-fueled... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed a three-year Strategic Alliance Agreement in Pune, India, to cooperate in the development of novel technologies in fuels research and engine development projects. The agreement between SwRI and CSIR, through its Indian Institute of Petroleum Laboratory... Read more →

India-based Praj Industries Limited and Qteros, Inc., the developer of a Consolidated Bioprocessing (CBP) platform for low-cost production of cellulosic ethanol using the Q-microbe (earlier post), have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate commercialization efforts for industrial-scale cellulosic ethanol production. Qteros also announced that it has closed the initial tranche... Read more →

Renewable energy targets and energy priority areas in the BRIMCS countries (not listed in order of importance or emphasis). Data: Kempener et al. Click to enlarge. A team of Harvard Kennedy School researchers has found that the governments of six key developing countries—Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, China, and South Africa,... Read more →

Turnover of the US fleet under the three models of penetration. The circles represent the year in which new vehicle sales equal 100% alternative powertrains/fuel. Source: Belzowski and McManus. Click to enlarge. The US and China—as well as Western Europe, Japan and Brazil—could turnover more than 90% of their vehicle... Read more →

Maruti Suzuki, India’s car market leader, recently provided 10 SX4 Hybrid and 4 Eeco Charge EV concepts for the use at the Commonwealth Games, running in Delhi 3-14 October. Maruti Suzuki developed the SX4 Hybrid and Eeco Charge concepts as a part of the Government-initiated and SIAM (Society of Indian... Read more →

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car maker, unveiled its CNG engine technology, “intelligent-Gas Port Injection” (i-GPI) on five popular models: SX4, Eeco, WagonR, Estilo and Alto. The CNG models span entry level cars, compact cars, sedans and MPV segments and are being launched in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Gujrat. The i-GPI... Read more →

Australia-based Eden Energy Limited has successfully tested a production-ready 6-liter engine that will enable India’s largest bus manufacturer, Ashok Leyland, to power buses with Eden’s low-emission Hythane blend of hydrogen-enriched natural gas (usually 20% hydrogen by volume). (Earlier post.) The 6-cylinder 92 kW (123 hp) 2010 H06B CNG engine—developed by... Read more →

GM is entering a five-year partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to help develop the potential of the jatropha plant as a sustainable biofuel energy crop. The goal of the project is to demonstrate that jatropha can produce significant quantities of oil for conversion to biodiesel and to... Read more →

The first production Ford Figo was driven off the line Friday, 5 Feb. at Ford’s expanded Chennai Integrated Manufacturing Plant by Tom Chackalackal, vice president of manufacturing, Ford India. Click to enlarge. Ford has begun production of its the new Ford Figo (earlier post) and its new 1.2-liter gasoline-fueled Duratec... Read more →

The 2-cylinder engine is the first of a range that will expand to include 4- and 6-cylinder engines. Click to enlarge. Ricardo and Cooper Corporation of India launched of the first of a completely new range of Cooper engines at the Delhi Auto Expo. The 2-cylinder vertical in-line engine family... Read more →

The Chevrolet Beat. Click to enlarge. GM India launched the Chevrolet Beat, the next offering from the 300 series after the Cruze, at a ceremony in India presided over by its President & Managing Director, Karl Slym. Based on GM’s global mini-vehicle architecture, the Beat will be launched in more... Read more →

China domestic sales of SAIC-GM JVs and milestones. GM and SAIC JVs have sold more than 6.3 million vehicles inside China. They are growing their presence outside mainland China with the launch of an investment joint venture in Hong Kong and a new joint venture for the production and sale... Read more →

Florida-based PetroAlgae Inc. (PA) (earlier post) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into an agreement to license its proprietary micro-crop technology to IndianOil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the future commercial-scale production of biodiesel from algae. ICOL is the 18th largest petroleum company in the world, and is... Read more →

The Ford Figo. Click to enlarge. Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally revealed the new Ford Figo, the anticipated new car to be produced in India and targeted at the India and export market. Ford said that Mulally’s visit for the reveal underscores the strategic importance of India... Read more →

The new REVA NXG introduced at IAA, due for production in 2011, features a Li-ion phosphate pack. Click to enlarge. General Motors India and Reva Electric Car Company (REVA) have entered into a collaboration agreement to develop electric vehicles for the Indian market. The partnership will develop car platforms, electric... Read more →

The Tata Nano. Click to enlarge. Tata Motors held the commercial launch of the low-priced Tata Nano—the much-anticipated Rs 1-Lakh (about US$2,000) “People’s Car”. (Earlier post.) The Tata Nano is BS-III compliant and comes with an all-new 2-cylinder aluminium MPFI 624 cc petrol engine mated to a four-speed gear box... Read more →

Australia-based Eden Energy has sold all the shares in its two US subsidiary companies: Eden Cryogenics LLC, which has two operating businesses (Eden Cryogenics and Cryogenic Technical Services which manufacture cryogenic equipment and supply cryogenic design services) and Eden Hydrogen Inc which operates the business known as HyRadix which manufactures... Read more →

SIAM’s fuel economy label. Click to enlarge. Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the India subsidiary of Suzuki Motors, is the first Indian automaker to comply with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers’ (SIAM) Voluntary Labeling Program. The program, announced in September 2008, calls for all member companies to make a voluntary... Read more →

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... Read more →

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... Read more →

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,... Read more →

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... Read more →

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,... Read more →

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... Read more →

PM and NOx levels in Delhi are rising. Click to enlarge. Delhi is in danger of losing the gains of its CNG program as pollution levels are once again creeping up to pre-2000 level. The latest analysis of recent air quality data in Delhi carried out by the Centre for... Read more →

The Bosch Group has set itself a target of €22 billion (US$31 billion) in sales in the Asia-Pacific (A-P) region by 2015, which is projected to represent 25% of total sales. For 2007, Bosch expects its A-P sales to climb 8.5% from 2006 to €7.4 billion (US$10.5 billion). Between 2008... Read more →

Scientists urged Asia-Pacific nations to study the issue of biofuels with greater care, saying that there is an urgent need to support the current rush toward major decisions on biofuel policies in the region with solid research and unbiased information about their potential benefits, impact, and risks. This appeal came... Read more →

GEECL CBM will serve customers in the West Bengal region. Click to enlarge. Source: GEECL Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd (GEECL) has begun the production and sale of coal-bed methane (CBM), the first such commercial project in India. GEECL is targeting initial production of 1.5 million standard cubic feet per... Read more →

Speaking at the EC’s International Conference on Biofuels in Brussels (earlier post), India’s New and Renewable Energy Minister Vilas Muttemvar said that his country’s national biofuels policy will “likely be in place in a few months time from now.” The program will mandate a 5% renewable component in fuels by... Read more →

The new Tata Magic. Tata Motors has introduced two new diesel-powered products—the Magic and the Winger—as the first in a range that can span the requirements of both rural and urban areas in India. The Magic is based on Tata’s ACE mini-truck platform (earlier post) and uses a two-cylinder, 16... Read more →

Australia’s Linc Energy Ltd. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shiv-Vani Oil & Gas Exploration Services Ltd. to establish joint ventures for the development of underground coal gasification (UCG) and coal-to-liquids (CTL) projects in India. Shiv-Vani is the single largest oil and gas upstream services provider in India.... Read more →

TNT, one of the world’s leading express companies, has launched a pilot project in India to use biodiesel in its delivery vehicles. Three trucks will participate in the year-long project between Pune, Nasik and Bangalore, covering a total distance of 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) per month. The biodiesel blends will... Read more →

Mahindra Renault, a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault, has launched the low-cost Logan sedan in India. The entry reflects growing demand in India for larger, mid-size sedans. The Logan, available in 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter gasoline versions and a 1.5-liter diesel version, will roll out from Mahindra’s plant... Read more →

The 4-cylinder compressed air engine. Click to enlarge. Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile company, has signed an agreement with MDI (Moteur Developpment International) of France for the application in India of MDI’s compressed air engines. MDI has already applied its CAT (Compressed Air Technology) engine in a prototype city car,... Read more →

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) of the State of Karnataka in India is currently switching the first 2,500 buses of its 5,162 bus fleet to O2Diesel, an ethanol-diesel blend comprising 7.7% ethanol and 0.5% of O2Diesel’s proprietary fuel additive technology. The decision came after a successful trial of... Read more →

Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL), Suzuki Motor’s Indian subsidiary, has unveiled the new Swift Diesel in India. The new Swift subcompact is a global car for Suzuki—designed for world markets, it is to be manufactured in Hungary, Japan, China and India. (Earlier post.) The Swift Diesel introduced by MUL is powered... Read more →

The Indian government’s Investment Commission has concluded that Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) is feasible in India and recommended to the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, that it should become an integral part of India’s strategy for oil security. The Prime Minister has decided to set up an Inter-Ministerial Group within the Planning... Read more →

Nikkei. Nissan Motor will build a factory in India that will start operations in the latter half of 2009 with an annual output capacity of around 200,000 units, The Nikkei learned Sunday. Construction on the facility will begin this year, with an investment of ¥50-60 billion (US$420-504 million). The factory... Read more →

Ashok Leyland, a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles and engines in India, has signed an agreement with Brehon Energy PLC for technology for the use of Hythane—a blend of hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) that is usually about 7% hydrogen by energy or 20% by volume—in its CNG engines.... Read more →

Projected increase in on-road CO2 emissions in India and China. Click to enlarge. Even under the most optimistic current scenarios for managing the expansion of road traffic in Asia, emissions of carbon dioxide from the transport sector will triple over the next 25 years, according to a new study backed... Read more →

Fiat Auto and Tata Motors announced the formation of their joint venture in India, located at the Fiat plant at Ranjangaon, in the State of Maharashtra. The Ranjangaon plant—with capacities to produce in excess of 100,000 cars and 200,000 engines and transmissions yearly—will manufacture vehicles for the Indian and overseas... Read more →

The Compact High Temperature Reactor (CHTR) produces high temperature process heat for hydrogen production by water splitting. Click to enlarge. Business Standard. Mumbai (India)-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is designing prototype versions of two new reactors that will produce hydrogen for use as a fuel: the Compact High Temperature... Read more →