Blog: Hiding in Plain Sight ?

Thursday, 4 October 2018

Hiding in Plain Sight ?

Today’s Economic Times carries following news report :

India facing 'economic crisis' due to huge oil imports: Transport minister

Extract :

Union minister Nitin Gadkari Thursday said the country is facing lot of "economic crisis" due to crude oil imports and need to reduce imports and increase exports

"It is time for the country to find out import substitute products and we have great potential for the use of ethanol, methanol, CNG and electric transportation system as solutions, Gadkari said after inaugurating the 'IndiaChem - 2018' conference organised by Ficci.

While blaming OPEC countries for the current increase in oil prices, he said, "One day they will find there is no market for crude oil."

"As this is the time for India to find solutions for import substitutes, the chemical industry must work towards finding the solutions to curb imports of crude oil at rising prices," he said.

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Dear Shri Gadkariji,

By admitting that “ the country is facing an ECONOMIC CRISIS , due to crude oil import “, no doubt you have disarmed the critics of the government

But your statement ( "One day they will find there is no market for crude oil." ), is unlikely to cause loss of sleep to the Oil Ministers of the OPEC countries

Reason ?

· It will take years ( if not decades ) for India’s chemical industry to gear up to manufacture those “ import substitutes “ [ Ethanol – Methanol ] in any meaningful quantities to reduce our imports of crude

· It takes 13,676 gallons of water to produce a single gallon of biodiesel from soybeans

· It takes 1700 gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol . Assuming a 30 gallon gasoline tank in a SUV , we calculate 51,000 gallons of water for the corn ethanol fill up ( Prof David Pimentel of Cornell University )

· India is facing a catastrophic WATER FAMINE , even for drinking purpose

[ sources :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/04/water-wars.html / 8 April 2016 ]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225386996_Sustainable_Development_of_Water_Resources_in_India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxryv2XrnqM

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/not-straightforward-answer.html

Dear Shri Gadkariji,

Allow me to suggest a better / cheaper / faster / tried and tested alternative ( while preserving our dwindling water resources ) , viz :

Solar Power

· Solar Power is anywhere from 123 to 550 times more efficient than biofuels

· Solar CHP ( Combined Heat and Power ) can convert sunshine 550 times more efficiently than sugarcane can

· Less than 1 per cent of India’s land mass will be sufficient for 1,000 GW of solar power generating capacity … There is sufficient waste land in the country for the same ( Masayoshi Son / SoftBank )

For specifics on “ How “ to generate those 1,000 GW within next 2 years , please find a few minutes to read ,

A Twin Tragedy