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Mercedes steps on biodiesel
IF YOU were asked to suggest the next class of Mercedes vehicles, you may as well bet on `BD', for bio-diesel. DaimlerChrysler India (DCIL) is so charged up on the idea that in August it took two C class vehicles — Mercedes Benz and Viano, the Mercedes van — topped them up with biodiesel from the jatropha plant for a 1,920-km drive from Chandigarh to Leh. In the project with DCIL are the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute and the University of Hohenheim.
In the first phase of the project, Mercedes vehicles were driven for over 6,000 km in the humid climate of the South and across the hot desert of the North. After that trial runs continued in Pune. The idea is to clear 30,000 km by the end of 2005 so as to get clear definitions and standards for biodiesel.
To make this project viable, the three partners have brought under jatropha about 30 acres in Gujarat and 20 acres in Orissa. DCIL is also looking to set up farmer co-operative societies in these areas to cover some 500 hectares with jatropha, with CSMCRI providing the farming techniques, and DCIL putting up the processing plant and machinery.
Seen in the picture (from left to right): Dr R. A. Mashelkar, DG, CSIR, Mr Suhas Kadlaskar, Director, Corporate Affairs & Finance, Daimler Chrysler and Mr Ravi Talwar, Vice-chairman and MD, T & T Motors.
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