The initiatives to bring in the technology kicked off after the corporation received a proposal from a research institute based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, through local energy experts. [break]
“NITTI, the research institute is the developer and patent holder of the technology. Using it, NOC can blend 20 percent water, benzene and other chemicals in diesel, thereby reducing environmental pollution and cost,” said Dr Santoshananda Mishra, former director of Nepal Electricity Authority.
He claimed that the technology will render diesel more environmental friendly and help lower its cost, thereby providing pricing and foreign exchange benefits to Nepal. However, none of the officials disclosed whether the technology is proven and well received in other parts of the world.
Digambar Jha, NOC chief, who is leading a high-level team to Russia next week, too preferred to keep the status of the technology secret.
Other officials aware of the latest initiative of Jha said they too have not heard much about the technology yet.
Experts said the technology could be based on ion exchange method, a process through which hydrogen and oxygen are separated from water, and treating diesel with it along with various chemicals.
As institutes across the world are researching new ways to address current energy challenge, they did not rule out the effectiveness of the technology. But they cautioned NOC to be careful on not letting the company experiment its technology in Nepal, if that has not been proven elsewhere.
At the same time, they also cautioned the officials to be alert on cost factor, security, commercial applications, impact on engines and other technical aspects.
“This is exactly what we will focus on during our visit,” Jha told myrepublica.com. Although he did not elaborate much on the visit, he clarified that NOC was neither importing nor running the technology itself.
“Because of patent secrecy, the institute has said it will not handover the technology to us. Instead, it has proposed to set up the blending plant itself and running it with its own staff. Hence, NOC will have no stake on it,” said Jha.
The institute, however, has sought NOC to assure and sign an agreement with it to make arrangements for supplying the fuel to its blending units and paying service charge for the blending work.
“If everything went well, NOC will work with the company by signing a memorandum of understanding for blending services,” said Jha.
milan@myrepublica.com
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