With Global Biofuel Alliance, India is Breaking Free From The Chains of Fossil Fuels

Now that India is the G20 president, the world is ready to follow its lead and enhance its usage of renewable energy. Leading biofuel producers and users Brazil, India, and the United States will form a Global Biofuels Alliance with additional interested countries in the coming months. Biofuels are created from biomass, which can range from plants to agricultural leftovers / waste to algae. They may be used in place of traditional fossil fuels as a renewable energy source to reduce carbon emissions and the usage of scarce resources.

The Alliance will aim to expand the use of sustainable biofuels in a variety of industries, particularly transportation. The plan will give technical support to national biofuel programmes worldwide, with an emphasis on enhancing markets, facilitating global biofuel trade, generating effective policy lesson-sharing, and providing technical assistance. The United States, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, and China are among the world's major producers of biofuels. Furthermore, the novel Biofuels Coalition is a business-driven organisation dedicated to bringing novel biofuels to market in Europe. The objective is to accelerate the adoption of renewable biofuels by fostering a welcoming legal environment and encouraging public-private partnerships. The Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives, and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) are just a few examples of existing regional and international agencies and initiatives in the fields of bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition with which the Alliance will collaborate and supplement.

Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, listed the Global Biofuel Alliance as one of India's top G20 priorities during India Energy Week 2023. At the upcoming G20 meeting, India will continue to advocate for a global biofuels alliance, akin to the globally successful international solar alliance. India and France established the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on November 30, 2015, to carry out the Paris Agreement. The ISA was created as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their specific energy needs.

India has been pushing biofuels vigorously to secure its energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve sustainable development. The government has put in place policies and aims to increase ethanol and biodiesel production and consumption across the country.

For example, India has taken part in the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP), which encourages collaboration and data sharing among nations interested in developing and deploying bioenergy technology. Aside from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Renewable Energy Agency, India has participated in a number of other international conferences and initiatives concentrating on renewable energy and sustainable development. India has utilised these platforms to discuss and learn about renewable energy from others.

The Alliance will assist the country attain greater energy independence and less dependency on foreign oil by increasing the use of biofuels. The government feels that biofuel might play an essential role in this area by increasing India's access to alternate energy sources. The enhanced energy diversification provided by biofuels will also help to conserve foreign exchange.

As the world's third largest consumer and importer of oil, India is actively encouraging the use of biofuels derived from sugarcane, grains, and agricultural waste.  Biofuels help with climate change mitigation efforts due to their lower carbon emission rates. India is diversifying its oil purchases by utilising new supply routes. The number of countries in the basket has increased from 27 to 37. Supply shocks can be avoided and susceptibility reduced by spreading output over many locations and nations. India is a global powerhouse in sugarcane production. Sugarcane producers are struggling due to a lack of buyers and overproduction. In light of this, the government promoted the use of sugarcane in the ethanol blending project. Biofuels, in addition to enhancing farmer earnings, give greater pricing transparency. The government think tank NITI Aayog is optimistic about the prospect of an Alliance to increase biofuel's role in the global energy mix.

According to the International Energy Agency, global demand for biofuels is predicted to rise by 41 billion litres, or 28%, between 2021 and 2026. The Indian government's prompt action in this area will provide the country with a competitive advantage in the biofuel business. To avoid jeopardising food security, India's biofuel initiatives concentrate on the use of non-edible feedstocks and agricultural byproducts and are primarily directed at the domestic market. India's involvement in the G20's debate of the Global Biofuel Alliance places the country at the forefront of attempts to wean itself off of fossil fuels. India might become a global leader in 'Green Growth' if its population maintain open debates about these initiatives and their potential to achieve carbon neutrality or a net zero effect.

The article is authored by Koushik Sur Co-Founder, Myplan8