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Home2024September (Page 7)
Biofuel industry, India, Opinions, Sustainable Energy

 By Santanu Gupta, Executive Director (Alternate Energy), Indian Oil Corporation

The global bioenergy landscape is evolving rapidly, with countries around the world recognising its potential to address climate change, enhance energy security, and promote sustainable development. India, with its abundant biomass resources and growing energy demand, is uniquely positioned to lead in the bioenergy sector, particularly in the production and utilisation of Compressed Biogas (CBG). Let’s delve deep as to how CBG can be a new hope for energy independence for India.

The Prime Minister of India along with the leaders of Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius and UAE, launched the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) on September 9, 2023, on the side-lines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. As of date, 24 countries and 12 international organisations have joined the GBA. GBA will support worldwide development and deployment of sustainable biofuels. There are already worldwide interactions on Biofuels through GBA.

The Government of India has put several policies in place to boost bioenergy. The National Policy on Biofuels – 2018 (NPB) which was amended in 2022 is a major step towards development of a sustainable biofuels ecosystem across the country. The policy categorises biofuels as “Basic Biofuels” namely First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and “Advanced Biofuels” – Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, Compressed Biogas (CBG). NPB has set a target of 20  per cent  ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26. As per the “Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25”, the estimated requirement for 20  per cent  ethanol blending in Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 is approximately 1016 crore litres and this quantity of petrol will be replaced by ethanol. As per the Roadmap, a successful E20 programme can save the country about $4 billion per annum. Similarly, a target of 5  per cent  blending of biodiesel in diesel has been considered under NPB by 2030.

India is focusing on biogas and CBG as part of its strategy to diversify its energy mix. Derived from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste, such as agricultural residues, cattle dung, and municipal solid waste, CBG is purified and compressed to be used as a vehicular fuel, industrial fuel, commercial fuel or injected into the natural gas grid.

CBG offers numerous benefits to our country and the environment. Production of CBG will assist in increasing the green energy mix, reduce import dependence, create employment especially in rural areas and reduce pollution due to crop burning. This will largely create value and employment in the rural economy across the supply chain from biomass collection to plant operation. CBG contributes to cleaner air and better public health compared to conventional fossil fuels. Production of CBG is also in alignment with Centre’s programmes of Climate Change mitigation, import reduction, energy security through replacement of fossil fuel, “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, “Make in India”, “Swachh Bharat Mission” and creating a circular economy.

The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, launched in 2018, is a key government programme aimed at promoting CBG production and its use as a vehicular fuel. This initiative aligns with India’s broader goals of reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing energy security.

To read more click: https://agrospectrumasia.com/e-magazine

 By Santanu Gupta, Executive Director (Alternate Energy),

Carbon Farming, India, Opinions, Sustainability

 By Dr V K Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog

Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) has an important and critical role to play in decarbonising the industrial and power sector. Since CCUS is at a nascent stage of deployment, government support and incentives are needed to promote the adoption and development of CCUS technologies at a commercial scale in India. The next decade is that of CCUS – where global capture of CO2 will increase manifold, investments will be at an all-time high and hundreds of such facilities will be built – the world shall look up to India in its carbon management plan. The time is right for India to progress towards a dedicated national CCUS Mission, taking inspiration from endeavours like the National Green Hydrogen Mission, National Solar Mission, etc. Let’s look at how India is looking at CCUS as an opportunity in meeting four of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN and can join the league of major world economies in the CCUS world map.

India stands at a critical juncture in its clean energy journey. We are the world’s third-largest CO2 emitter, yet committed to ambitious decarbonisation goals of 45 per cent emission reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2070. While the expansion of renewable power is a notable success in India’s clean energy transition, the power sector accounts for only a third of total emissions, which are expected to decline as renewables replace fossil fuels.

The growing industrial economy emits close to another third of the aggregate emissions that are hard to lessen, due to the use of fossil fuels not only as a source of energy but within the process itself, and will continue to increase, unless new technologies and carbon abatement mechanisms are deployed. At the same time, while we phase down the use of fossil energy sources over time, India will be dependent on coal for a long time, to support the ever-increasing energy demand and meet the requirements for affordable and reliable baseload power.

To read more click: E-Magazine – AgroSpectrum Asia

 By Dr V K Saraswat, Member, NITI

AgroPolicy, India, Interaction, Opinions

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways Government of India

Bioenergy is a promise for the better future of India and indeed a win-win situation for our country. It has the potential to address several issues being faced by the country- from income to independence, savings to sustainability and employment to entrepreneurship. It has the potential to increase farmers’ income, make the nation self-sufficient in fuels with oil import substitutes, save the country’s huge funds, provide a sustainable alternative in the energy sector, grow employment prospects and provide entrepreneurship opportunities, particularly in the MSME sector. Let’s explore this further.

I have been observing and saying that we need to find alternative to fossil fuel. Oil import for fossil fuels like petrol, diesel and gas is currently costing our country Rs 18 lakh crore per year. Thus, the oil import Bill is a matter of serious concern for our economy. Finding alternatives to fuel imports to save the nation’s fund is paramount for our economy. If this huge amount being spent on oil import is saved, it can be utilised for the development of the country.

Secondly, fossil fuels pose serious threat to environment in terms of pollution they cause. This is a matter of serious concern as it could lead to increase in the respiratory and lungs related diseases. Reduction in pollution and moving towards sustainability is also possible by biofuels and bioenergy. One more cause for very serious pollution in parts of North India is burning stubbles in the farm after harvesting. Interestingly, stubble burning and bioenergy are complementary to each other. The stubbles can be used for bioenergy resolving three issues at a time – a) giving farmers income for waste which they are burning 2) converting the stubbles into biomass for different forms of bioenergy and 3) providing a solution to the problem of pollution caused by stubble burning.

Focusing on bioenergy development will also lead to farmers’ development. The condition of the agriculture sector in India is not satisfactory. Despite having surplus production of wheat, sugar, rice and corn, the agriculture sector is contributing only 12 to 14 per cent to the GDP of the country and the fact remains that almost 65 per cent of the population of the country is dependent on agriculture for livelihood. As a result, the rural population, particularly poor, unemployed and small farmers, has to face serious problems. To improve their condition, the agriculture sector’s contribution to the GDP should be more than 25 per cent and for that we need to go for the crop diversification – shifting our focus to energy crops.

Shifting to Viable Alternatives

Diversification of agriculture towards power and energy generation is the need of the hour. We have shifted our focus on the production of ethanol, methanol, Bio-CNG, Bio-LNG, Bio-bitumen and hydrogen (Green fuel). Alternative energy, green fuel, bio energy are very important for the development of the country.

To increase the use of alternate fuels, the government has launched various schemes like blending petrol with ethanol, producing first, second and third generations ethanol, allowing mixing lignin in bitumen etc. Recently the union cabinet has approved the production of ethanol from sugarcane, bamboo, B-molasses and C-molasses, foodgrains and broken rice and corn.

India is having surplus production of sugar, and the rate of sugar is less in the Brazil market. Hence, it is advisable to use surplus sugarcane for the production of ethanol. We have already started blending 15 per cent ethanol in petrol and very soon we will achieve the 20 per cent ethanol blending target. Automobile companies have started the production of cars fitted with flex engines which run fully on ethanol. Toyota has already produced flex engine cars and others like Tata, Suzuki are also about to launch flex engine cars. The flex engines generate 60 per cent of electric power and require 40 per cent of ethanol. If you compare the cost with petrol, the flex engine vehicles cost only Rs 25 per litre.

To read more click: https://agrospectrumasia.com/e-magazine

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport &

Biofuel industry, India, Interaction, Sustainable Energy

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister, Road Transport and Highways was speaking at the inaugural of International Conference and Exhibition on Bioenergy & Technologies 2024 in Dwarka, Delhi.

“Promoting the biofuel sector in India would benefit the country’s agriculture sector. Bioenergy sector is set to reach 50 per cent of fossil fuel in the next five years”, said Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister, Road Transport and Highways during the inaugural session of the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024.

Gadkari announced that 400 Ethanol pumps are starting in India, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Every year import of fossil fuel is 22 lakh tonnes.

He mentioned that it is not the problem with air pollution, but it is also a deep economic concern for the country. Today agriculture and allied industry share in GDP is 12 per cent, manufacturing 20-25 per cent, service sector 20-25 per cent. The promotion of the bioenergy sector will help to achieve a 5 trillion economy dream.

The 3-day event started from September 2, 2024, is organised by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE) and MMActiv Sci-Tech Communications, is an International Conference and Exhibition on Bioenergy & Technologies at Yashobhoomi – India International Convention & Expo Centre in Dwarka, Delhi. It represents a significant step in advancing the bioenergy sector and is supported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Dr Pramod Chaudhri President, IFGE & Executive Chairperson, Praj Industries, Ravindra Boratkar Founder Member of IFGE and Managing director of MM Activ Sci -Tech Communication, were present at the inaugural session.

AgroSpectrum September 24 issue devoted to the bioenergy sector in India was published by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and dignitaries during the inaugural session.

 Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, stated that the government is making efforts to increase the use of biofuels in India. The target year for achieving 20 per cent ethanol-blending has been advanced by five years to 2025, and there are plans for 5 per cent blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030. Additionally, oil companies have been directed to sell 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, and BIS specifications for higher ethanol blends (E12 and E15) indicate the government’s emphasis on biofuels and alternative energy sources.

IIT Delhi and IFGE signed an MoU for the Centre of Excellence at IIT Delhi for Bioenergy. The Biodiesel Association of India also facilitated awards to Indian Oil Corporation, Emami Agrotech, Blue Stone Energy, and Kem Energy.

The event will feature diverse exhibitors from the bioenergy, biofuel, biomass, CBG (Compressed Biogas) production, ethanol end users, technology providers, equipment, and machinery EPC industries.

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister, Road Transport