The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) will be established at the upcoming 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and Eighth Mission Innovation (CEM14/MI-8) meeting, which will be held in Goa from July 19-22, 2023.
What is Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA)?
- G20 Priority: Under India’s G20 Presidency, the GBA is a critical priority.
- The GBA is inspired by the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which was founded in 2015 by India and France to tackle climate change through the use of solar energy.
- The goal of this alliance will be to promote international collaboration and cooperation in order to increase the adoption and utilisation of biofuels.
- The GBA, comprised of Brazil, the United States, and India, intends to influence global energy architecture to attain net-zero emissions.
- Membership and Endorsement: Other countries can join the GBA by endorsing the foundation document, and non-G20 countries can join as well.
GBA’s Focus Areas
- The GBA will concentrate its efforts on improving markets and streamlining global biofuel trading.
- Concrete policy lessons will be shared, as well as technical assistance for national biofuel programmes around the world.
- The alliance will highlight successful biofuel industry instances and best practises.
The Importance of GBA
- Addressing OPEC+: The initiative demonstrates India’s commitment to reduce its reliance on conventional hydrocarbons and urges for enhanced production by OPEC+.
- Opportunities for Change: GBA provide transformative potential for economic growth, rural development, energy self-sufficiency, lower air pollution, and the transition to renewable energy.
- Adoption of Sustainable Biofuels: The alliance’s goal is to hasten the adoption of sustainable biofuels.
Milestone Achieved in India’s Biofuel Achievements:
- India produced 4.08 billion litres of ethanol in fiscal year 2020-21, attaining a blending rate of 10.02% and reducing CO2 emissions by 2.7 million tonnes.
- Goals and targets: India wants to reach a 12% blending rate by 2022-23 and a 20% blending rate by 2025, which will necessitate an increase in ethanol production capacity to 17 billion litres.
- Focus on Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG): Through the Sustainable Alternative to Affordable Transportation (SATAT) programme, India aggressively promotes compressed bio-gas (CBG) obtained from waste.
- By 2024, India hopes to have installed 5,000 CBG plants across the country.
Aviation Biofuel Advancements
- First Commercial Passenger Flight: India performed its first commercial passenger flight utilising a domestically generated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend.
- The Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Programme Committee has been formed in order to advance the use of SAF in the aviation sector.
- Blending Goals: India plans to attain a 1% SAF blend in jet fuel by 2025, which would require 140 million litres of SAF per year, while a 5% blend would require around 700 million litres per year.
Global reaction
- Brazil has stated its support for the GBA and its goals of expanding and strengthening sustainable biofuels markets.
- Saudi Arabia’s Focus: Saudi Arabia, a significant oil exporter, is focused on traditional hydrocarbons and has been critical of the GBA.
- Russia’s Opec+ Involvement: Russia, as a member of Opec+, has implemented output cuts despite the tenuous global economic recovery.
- China’s Opposition: China, a major producer of biofuels, criticised the India-led proposal and boycotted a G20 tourism summit in Srinagar.
@the end
- The formation of GBA is an important step towards increasing worldwide collaboration and the use of sustainable biofuels.
- India’s accomplishments in biofuel production and breakthroughs in aviation fuel lay a solid foundation for the alliance’s goals.
Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/energy/global-biofuel-alliance-can-power-india-s-energy-transition-drive-but-must-have-time-bound-targets-90694