Physical Address
23,24,25 & 26, 2nd Floor, Software Technology Park India, Opp: Garware Stadium,MIDC, Chikalthana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431001 India
By Aayushi Sharma
Currently, LPG contributes only a modest but growingly significant amount to the world’s energy demands. Clean fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) eliminate or greatly minimize the necessity for gathering biomass fuel and offer powerful, concentrated heat. It helps in boosting cooking efficiency in India and has the potential to save even more time.
Energy transition from higher carbon fuels to LPG for various applications
Liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, is the general term for mixtures of light hydrocarbons, usually propane and butane, that change from a gaseous to a liquid state when compressed at a moderate pressure or chilled. LPG is either extracted from natural gas or oil production streams or is produced as a byproduct of crude oil refining (39% of global production in 2013); the proportion of LPG produced by gas processing has been rising for many years as natural gas production has increased more rapidly than that of oil. LPG must be separated from the oil product or natural gas streams in both procedures.
The graph shows LPG gas consumption in India (2013-22)
Due to its significantly larger density as a liquid, LPG is often liquefied for bulk storage and transportation. Large volumes of LPG are often stored at receiving ports and transported by sea in refrigerated containers; lesser volumes are typically kept in pressurized vessels. Compared to conventional fuels and the majority of other oil products, LPG has a high energy content per tonne (in a liquid condition) and burns easily in the presence of air, producing a bright flame. LPG is a very adaptable energy source that may be utilized for a variety of purposes, including cooking, space and water heating, and alternative transportation fuel.
Auto LPG is the third most widely used transport fuel in the world after petrol and diesel. With over 27 million vehicles using it worldwide, autogas, also known as automotive LP gas, is the most popular alternative fuel for road transportation. Autogas offers lower emissions than practically all other vehicle fuels, making a substantial contribution to cleaner air, in addition to its advantages in terms of economy and safety. In comparison to petrol, autogas produces 50% less carbon monoxide, 40% less hydrocarbons, 35% less nitrogen oxides, and 50% less potential to make ozone, according to reliable scientific testing. Significant health advantages result from very low emissions.
The image shows an Auto LPG station in India
Energy transition at household level: Biomass to LPG
In many parts of the world, LPG is one of the fuel sources with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions for cooking. LPG emits 60% less carbon dioxide than electric-coil stoves, 50% less than some biomass stoves, and 19% less than wood stoves in India, for instance. 95 percent of Indian households now have access to liquified petroleum gas (LPG), and since 2016, 80 million people have done so through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
In India, rural households definitely choose LPG as a practical and healthy fuel source. The main issue facing the national and state governments of India is figuring out how to make LPG use more accessible and economical in order to encourage uptake. The Ujjwala plan currently provides free connections for many households, so that is a problem that is already solved, but the cost of the LPG fuel continues to be a barrier.
According to Deepak Sriram Krishnan, associate director, Energy at World Resources Institute (WRI) India, electric cooking is now a cheaper option than LPG cooking at present prices. He said, “It costs Rs 10.15 for heating 10 kg water from ambient temperature to boiling point in Delhi using a domestic LPG cylinder. Comparably, the cost through an electric stove will come up to Rs 9.46 and with an induction stove, it will be Rs 8.33 for heating the same quantity. This is assuming the cost of electricity at Rs 8 a unit, the highest slab,”
In the long run, electricity generated from non-carbon sources will likely provide the majority of residential energy. LPG can act as an effective, low-carbon, and clean transition fuel in low- and middle-income nations over the short term, replacing traditional biomass.
References
- https://cag.gov.in/content/report-no14-2019-performance-audit-pradhan-mantri-ujjwala-yojana-ministry-petroleum-and
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7384753/
- https://twitter.com/WorldLPGAssoc/status/1668543738753462272
- https://www.ceew.in/publications/household-energy-transition-india-and-elsewhere-role-lpg
- https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/auto-lpg-can-play-a-role-in-indias-fuel-mix-energy-security/96572462
- https://www.wlpga.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/LPG-and-the-Global-Energy-Transition.pdf#page11
- https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/after-the-latest-hike-lpg-is-now-costlier-than-electric-cooking-in-delhi-121070800001_1.html
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1052428/india-lpg-consumption-volume/
- https://www.iac.org.in/cleaner-air
