(a) whether the Government has any proposal for using mixture of hydrogen gas with natural gas as a transportation fuel;
(b) if so, whether the Government has set up any Hydrogen Corpus Fund for conducting research and development in this regard;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether any demonstration project has been initiated for the purpose; and
(e) if so, the details alongwith the results achieved therefrom?
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI MURLI DEORA)
(a) to (e):- A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 319 for 17.8.2006 regarding Hydrogen Blended Natural Gas
(a): Yes, Sir.
(b) & (c): Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has set up a Rs. 100 crore Hydrogen Corpus Fund for taking up hydrogen research activities. IOC (R&D) has been made nodal agency to coordinate the research activities.
(d) & (e): Yes, Sir. IOC (R&D) has set up a Hydrogen-CNG (HCNG) dispensing station at IOC (R&D) Centre at Faridabad for dispensing HCNG blends for test vehicles. At present, trials are being conducted on passenger cars, mini buses and 3 -Wheelers using up to 10% Hydrogen in CNG.
Initial tests indicate that there is power loss with HCNG blends. Emission benefits have been observed particularly with respect to Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions.