Global Biofuels Alliance to unlock bioenergy access in emerging economies: CII

The Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s announcement on the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) will accelerate sustainable biofuel deployment and support the global energy transition. GBA will spawn international cooperation especially among agriculturally endowed countries for furthering the goals of inclusive and green growth. India’s in net carbon zero goal of 2070 will also receive a fillip.

“India’s commitment to decarbonisation and just energy transition has been reinforced by the Global Biofuels Alliance. Under the presidency of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi G20 has created a transformative path towards energy transition while ensuring energy security,” said Mr 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.

According to Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII, the Global Biofuels Alliance is a collective movement for change. “It will unlock bioenergy access in emerging economies. A big step by India’s G20 presidency led by Hon’ble PM to move towards low carbon economy,” he added.

“Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi’s leadership in G20 has mainstreamed discussions around clean and affordable bioenergy solutions,” said Mr Banerjee.

Congratulating Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi & Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri for stitching a sustainable path for future generations, Mr Tarun Sawhney, co-chair, CII National Bioenergy Committee and Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Triveni Engineering & Industries Limited said, “India is playing pivotal role in providing green future. Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi has unlocked an unparalleled collaborative approach in energy sector by announcing the Global Biofuels Alliance. It is a pathbreaking initiative and will certainly accelerate deployment of sustainable energy sources and support energy transition. It is a major achievement under India’s G20 Presidency.”

Welcoming the launch of Global Biofuels Alliance at G20¸ Mr Shishir Joshipura, co-chair, CII National Bioenergy Committee and Managing Director & CEO, Praj Industries, said, “GBA will help accelerate inclusive energy transition for a sustainable world. Adoption of Bioeconomy has multiple advantages for all economies especially due to its with 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. We applaud the G20 leadership for this landmark development.”

CII has a National Committee on Bioenergy which represents a cross section of industry leaders engaged in manufacturing of machinery, production of enzymes, ethanol and biodiesel, use of biowaste, and other related businesses. At the 11th Edition CII Bio-Energy Summit in January 2023, the industry recognised the huge agricultural surpluses in crops like sugar, corn, rice, wheat, which can be important sources for biofuel and also help reduce the fuel import bill. Ethanol and alternative biofuel can substitute fossil fuels in the country. The Summit also underscored the point that the dangerous level of air-pollution, plaguing Delhi and other cities, could be dealt with more effectively with use of agri-waste for bioenergy.

CII sees unfolding of new business opportunities in the bio energy sector through this alliance. This will also serve to a large extent the twin goals of low carbon energy and reduction in import dependency.

The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration on Saturday recognized the importance of sustainable biofuels in zero and low- emission development strategies while taking note of the setting up of a Global Biofuels Alliance.

9 September 2023

New Delhi