WBREDA, IIT-KGP join to create bio-diesel manf

Kolkata, Feb 8: In a bid to cut down emission and reduce fuel consumption, WBREDA and IIT-Kharagpur(IIT-KGP) has joined hands to devise a technology to manufacture bio-diesel.

Biodiesel, manufactured from Jatropha plants, if mixed with diesel helps reduce consumption of diesel.

''A joint venture research project has been taken up by IIT KGP and West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) to manufacture bio-diesel, '' WBREDA Director S P GonChoudhury told UNI.

The project would be completed in next month and the technology transferred to the industry, he said adding several companies have already shown interest in taking the technology.

''Bio-diesel and another Bengal-based company have already shown interest to buy the technology which will be later outsourced by MNCs and oil majors, '' he added.

The students of IIT, Kharagpur, demonstrated this device to process bio-diesel in a fair organised by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Corporation (WBREDA) and the state power department.

''Even if we blend bio-diesel with diesel and use it, we can cut down harmful emission. Nearly a million litre of diesel are used by vehicles in the city everyday. By using a bio-diesel blend, we can reduce emission from at least 20,000 litre of diesel, '' a student opined.

UNI