Indian Oil Corp (IOC) rolled out M15 petrol — 15 per cent blend of methanol with petrol — on a pilot basis in Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The pilot rollout was done in Tinsukia by the company due to the ready availability of methanol, which is being manufactured by Assam Petrochemical Ltd in the vicinity of Digboi refinery.

What is methanol?

• Methanol (CH3OH) is a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue, CO2 from thermal power plants and natural gas. 

• It is a clear, colourless liquid with a characteristic odour. It is highly flammable. Methanol is used to dissolve other chemical substances and mixes readily with water and many organic liquids.

• Methanol is also known as wood alcohol, because it was once produced as a byproduct of wood distillation.

• Although slightly lower in energy content than petrol and diesel, methanol can replace both these fuels in the transport sector (road, rail and marine), energy sector (comprising DG sets, boilers, process heating modules, tractors and commercial vehicles) and retail cooking (replacing LPG partially, kerosene and wood charcoal). 

• M-15 is a blend of 15 per cent methanol and 85 per cent gasoline. 

• Blending of 15 per cent methanol in gasoline can result in at least 15 per cent reduction in the import of gasoline/crude oil. 

• In addition, this would bring down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20 per cent in terms of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide (NOx), and sulfur oxide (SOx), thereby improving the urban air quality.

• As an engine fuel, methanol has chemical and physical fuel properties similar to ethanol. 

• Methanol can be an alternative to conventional transportation fuels. 

The benefits of methanol include:

i) It is a high octane fuel with combustion characteristics that allow engines specifically designed for methanol fuel to match the best efficiencies of diesels while meeting current pollutant emission regulations.

2) It is cheap to produce relative to other alternative fuels.

3) It has a lower risk of flammability compared to gasoline.

4) It can be manufactured from a variety of domestic carbon-based feedstocks, such as biomass, natural gas, and coal.

5) It also biodegrades quickly (compared to petroleum fuels) in case of a spill.

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