G20 Summit: India Launches Global Biofuel Alliance

Relevance: GS2 - Regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; GS3 - Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation

(Source: Down to Earth, 09/09/2023)

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Why in the news?

• Recently, at the G20 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Global Biofuel Alliance.
• This alliance, supported by 19 countries and 12 international organizations, aims to triple sustainable biofuel production worldwide by 2030.

What is Biofuel?

• Biofuels are renewable energy sources derived from biomass, such as crop stubble, plant waste, and municipal solid waste.
• Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
  • Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
  • Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
  • Gaseous: Biogas

Biofuels in India

• India, a significant oil importer, is focused on enhancing its biofuel production capacity, primarily utilizing sources like sugarcane and agricultural waste.
• The nation's goals include increasing the ethanol blend in petrol to 20% by 2025 and establishing compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
• These efforts represent India's commitment to harnessing renewable energy sources from biomass and reducing its dependence on fossil fuels for a more sustainable energy future.
• Biofuels in India are of strategic importance as it augurs well with the ongoing initiatives of the Government such as Make in India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill Development and offers great opportunity to integrate with the ambitious targets of doubling of Farmers Income, Import Reduction, Employment Generation, Waste to Wealth Creation.

India’s Biofuel Achievement

• In the fiscal year 2020-21, India produced 4.08 billion litres of ethanol, achieving a blending rate of 10.02% and resulting in a reduction of 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
• India achieved the target of 10% ethanol blending in 2022 and saved as much as ₹53,894 crore in forex outgo from 10% blending besides benefiting the farmers.
• India actively promotes Compressed bio-gas (CBG) derived from waste through the Sustainable Alternative towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) program.
• India aims to install 5,000 CBG plants across the country by 2024.

Significance of Global Biofuels Alliance

• The Global Biofuels Alliance holds great significance as it is dedicated to advancing sustainable biofuels, particularly in the transportation sector.
• The key objectives of the alliance include promoting sustainable biofuels, strengthening circular economy practices, and offering cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional fuels.
• This initiative represents a collaborative effort to address global energy and environmental challenges while reducing the carbon footprint associated with energy production and consumption.
• India has set an ambitious target of achieving net-zero emissions by the year 2070, and the Global Biofuels Alliance plays a pivotal role in helping India, along with other nations, work towards this critical environmental goal.

India’s Initiatives Regarding Biofuels

• SATAT: Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, it aims to set up 5,000 BioCNG plants with a production target of 15 MMT by 2023-24.
• GOBAR-dhan Scheme: Under this scheme, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is setting up 500 new compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
• Samarth Scheme: The Ministry of Power’s aims for 5 to 7% of co-firing biomass pellets, going up to 10% and then up to 20% for all coal power being produced from carbon-neutral biomass utilising farm agri-residue.
• Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana: The objective of the scheme is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost Research and Development in the 2G Ethanol sector.
• Ethanol Blending: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is targeting 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025.
• Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO): It was launched by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and aims for an ecosystem that will enable the collection and conversion of used cooking oil to biodiesel.
• India plans to mandate a one per cent blending of Sustainable Aviation fuel with conventional jet fuel for all Indian airlines by 2025.
• Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0: Under the ambit of this mission, for management of organic/wet fraction of municipal solid waste biomethanation plants across cities was proposed in the Budget 2023-2024.
• National Policy on Biofuels, 2018: The policy aims to reduce petroleum imports by promoting domestic fuel production.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: It is possible to produce algae-based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? (UPSC 2017)

1. Production of algae-based biofuels is possible in seas only and not on continents.
2. Setting up and engineering the algae-based biofuel production requires a high level of expertise/technology until the construction is completed.
3. Economically viable production necessitates the setting up of large-scale facilities which may raise ecological and social concerns.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Question: According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels? (UPSC 2020)

1. Cassava
2. Damaged wheat grains
3. Groundnut seeds
4. Horse gram
5. Rotten potatoes
6. Sugar beet

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2, 5, and 6 only

(b) 1, 3, 4, and 6 only

(c) 2, 3, 4, and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6