Workshop on reducing vehicular emissions and improving fuel efficiency

The workshop was jointly organized with International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) on 23 June 2014 at Magnolia Hall, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi to discuss vehicular technologies and fuel quality related issues for reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency in the transportation sector. The event was supported by The Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation. There were more than fifty participants in the workshop. Dr R K Pachauri, Director General, TERI inaugurated the workshop with his opening speech addressing various aspects of the problem and key policy issues. He explained his concern on India’s growing dependence on oil and the growing geopolitical challenges with Indian oil import. He emphasised the need to learn from best practices in the world and leapfrog as and when required.

While the first session of the workshop focussed on improving fuel efficiency in the heady duty vehicle sector, the afternoon session was devoted to introduction of advanced fuel quality and vehicular emission standards in India. The event was graced with the presence of Dr Ajay Mathur, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE); Dr Michael Walsh, ICCT; Dr Anup Bandivadekar, ICCT; and Mr K K Gandhi, SIAM. The pathways to develop fuel efficiency norms for HDV sector and introduction of BS-VI vehicular emissions norms in India were discussed. It was proposed to initiate an Auto Oil Forum which may have participation from all concerned stakeholders including government, oil and automobile industry, academia, and NGOs, to discuss broad areas of research in the fields of fuel quality and vehicular technology improvements in India.