The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A more refined and environment-friendly Euro IV fuel will be available in Bhutan by first month of 2017. This was decided at the third-term signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Trade Department, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Executive Director, West Bengal, Indian Oil Corporation limited (IOCL), Y.K Gupta on February17.
As of now, Bhutan uses the Euro III fuel, but the Euro IV fuel is less polluting as it emits less nitrogen oxides, total hydrocarbon, non-methane hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide gases.
The sulphur content in the Euro IV is also comparatively lower than Euro III fuel. Sulphur content in Euro III is150 ppm (part per million) in petrol and 350ppm in diesel, whereas 50ppm each in petrol and diesel for Euro IV.
The problem of vehicles not starting during the cold winter and spoilage of engine of expensive vehicles could also be minimized with the availability of the better fuel.
Y.K Gupta said in conversion of high quality fuel, it needs additional cost requiring a type of tank that suits the fuel storage and logistics management.
India has bigger plans to convert to Euro IV fuel by April 2017 and eventually to Euro V fuel by 2022.
Last year, Bhutan imported 166433.64 KL (kilolitres) of fuel worth Nu 8.4bn and 169315.33KL worth Nu 7.9bn in 2013. The country saw 1.7 percent less fuel consumption last year compared to previous year.
Last year, 50.54 percent of the fuel was imported by the IOCL and 49.45 percent from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
Y.K Gupta said the decline in the fuel consumption is because Bhutan is opting to use clean energy and also due to improvement in the car engine. The MoU states that IOCL will meet the entire requirement to the dealers as appointed by trade department,MoEA. There are plans to impart the latest development to Bhutan and training to the fuel depot workers.
The first MoU was signed in 2005, then after, it is reviewed every five years. Bhutan has 28 fuel outlets.
