At the Global Clean Energy Action Forum 2022 held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States, India’s representative asserted the vital role of sustainable biofuels in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
Global Clean Energy Action Forum 2022
For the first time, the United States hosted the Global Clean Energy Action Forum from 21st to 23rd September 2022. The event combined the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM 13) and the 7th Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-7). The predominant theme for CEM13/MI-7 was ‘Rapid Innovation and Deployment,’ which implied accelerating the innovation and deployment of clean energy technologies on a large scale. The objectives of the forum included defining international clean energy leadership and collaboration, focusing on actions that deliver a low-cost, zero-emissions energy future, and demonstrating progress in clean energy innovation and deployment.
India’s Stand at the Forum
India reported having established five Bioenergy Centers, with an interdisciplinary team working on advanced sustainable biofuels using modern biotechnology tools. As one of the founding members of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), India will be hosting CEM-14 in 2023. India has also designed a Cooling Action Plan (CAP) to address the cooling requirements across various sectors and made a commitment to reducing emission intensity by 33-35% in 2030 against the levels of 2005.
Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation Ministerial
The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) was established in December 2009 to promote policies and focus on three global climate and energy policy goals: Improve energy efficiency worldwide, enhance clean energy supply, and expand clean energy access. On the other hand, Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative catalyzing a decade of action and investment in research, development, and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive, and accessible for all.
What are Biofuels?
Biofuels are any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from organic matter in a short period of time. They may be solid, liquid, or gaseous in nature. Apart from replacing traditional fuels like diesel and petrol, they can also be used to generate heat and electricity. The shift to biofuels has been driven by rising oil prices, greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and interest in obtaining fuel from agricultural crops.
India’s Initiatives for Sustainable Biofuels
India’s efforts towards sustainable biofuels include the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019, ethanol blending, GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN scheme, 2018, Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO), and National Policy on Biofuels, 2018. Moreover, initiatives under five Bioenergy Centers have been implemented to develop technologies and strategies for biofuel production.
UPSC Civil Services, Previous Year Questions
One of the previous year questions in UPSC Civil Services asked about the likely limitations of developing countries in promoting algae-based biofuels. Another question asked about the raw materials that India’s National Policy on Biofuels permits for the production of biofuels. The correct answers were options (b) for the former and (a) for the latter.