IIT Roorkee develops technology to convert pine leaves into fuel
Scientists of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee have developed a method of making fuel from pine leaves (Pirul). A special kind of portable machine has been built for this. With the help of this machine, a soap-shaped cake will be prepared. This cake can be used to prepare food in the hotel and dhabas along with the house. This fuel will be completely eco-friendly.
About 16 percent of the forest in Uttarakhand is covered with pine trees. This generates 23 lakh 66 thousand metric tons of leaves every year. This is also a big reason for the fire in the forests in the summer. Pine leaves are quite flammable. Due to these leaves, there would not have been any other vegetation.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, IIT Roorkee started the Design Innovation Center at the cost of Rs. 10 crores last year. Its aim is to remove the problems of the Himalayan region. Under this, IIT Roorkee is studying scientific studies to curb the fire from pine leaves.
Project’s Principal Investigator and Managing Studies Prof. Vinay Sharma and Prof. Rajat Agarwal said that initially, Almora and Nainital have been selected in the state under pilot project. For this, two hundred villagers are being trained by selecting them. For this, the help of retired officers of the Forest Department is also being taken. They have been named as Master Trainer.
He said that in the initial phase these portable machines will be installed in these two districts. The feature of this machine is that it is hundred percent manual. It does not need electricity and water to run it. By pressing the machine will be able to run. To make one fuel cake, 250 grams of pine leaves will be required. A cake burns for 15 minutes. This cake can be used in place of coal or wood. There is no use of any kind of chemicals in making this cake. Therefore, it will not even produce harmful gas like carbon, nitrogen, sulfur etc. Pro. Agarwal said that the cost of a portable machine is about ten thousand rupees.
