New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday announced the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance, to tackle the climate change challenge.
“Keeping in mind the challenge of climate change, energy transition is a significant need of the 21st century world. Trillions of dollars are required for an inclusive energy transition. Naturally, developed countries play a very crucial role in this,” the prime minister said, speaking at the first session of the ongoing G20 Summit, being in New Delhi this weekend under India’s presidency.
Highlighting that today, the need of the hour is that all countries should work together in the field of fuel blending, Modi proposed a global-level initiative to take ethanol blending in petrol to up to 20 percent.
In India, currently E10 automobile fuel is used to power vehicles, where ethanol comprises 10 percent of the fuel while the rest 90 percent is made of petrol.
Ethanol-blended petrol is believed to be a cleaner fuel, resulting in lower emissions.
According to data shared by by minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, Rameswar Teli, in a written reply in Lok Sabha in July, two wheelers and four wheelers using E10 fuel emit 20 percent lower carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, while two wheelers using E20 emit 50 percent lower carbon monoxide, and 20 percent lower hydrocarbons. E20 four wheelers emit 30 percent lower carbon monoxide and 20 percent lower hydrocarbons compared to vehicles using neat petrol, the minister had said.
The government has advanced the target of achieving 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by five years from 2030 to 2025.
“Or alternatively, we could work on developing another blending mix for the greater global good, one that ensures a stable energy supply while also contributing to climate security… In this context, today, we are launching the Global Biofuel Alliance. India invites all of you to join this initiative,” Modi added.
Reacting to the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said in a statement that the alliance will accelerate sustainable biofuel deployment and support the global energy transition.
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‘A priority under India’s G20 presidency’
In February this year, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas had said that the Global Biofuel Alliance will be one of the priorities under India’s G20 Presidency, and that Brazil, India, and the United States, will work together during the next few months towards the development of such an alliance, along with other interested countries.
Currently, the US and Brazil have the largest ethanol production capacity, contributing about 54 percent and 31 percent of global ethanol production. India contributes to two percent of global ethanol production, said Ashim Sharma, senior partner and group head at Nomura Research Institute (NRI).
“This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector,” the government had said in a statement in February, adding that it will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, development of concrete policy lesson-sharing and provision of technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
The alliance will work in collaboration with and complement the relevant existing regional and international agencies as well as initiatives in the bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition fields more broadly, the government had said, including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives, and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).
Responding to the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) Saturday, the CII said, “GBA will spawn international cooperation especially among agriculturally endowed countries for furthering the goals of inclusive and green growth.”
According to R. Dinesh, president, CII and executive vice-chairman, TVS Supply Chain Solutions the alliance aims at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in transportation sector, thereby strengthening domestic markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, developing concrete policy framework towards sharing and providing technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
The launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance was also welcomed by Shishir Joshipura, co-chair, CII National Bioenergy Committee and managing director & CEO, Praj Industries, who said, the “GBA will help accelerate inclusive energy transition for a sustainable world”.
He added: The “adoption of bioeconomy has multiple advantages for all economies especially due to its deep and positive social, livelihood and environmental benefits. India’s leadership across policy, technology and ecosystem development can benefit the larger world and help include the Global South in this important journey.”
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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