Biofuels hold promise as alternative to fossil fuels

Pitambara and Bishwa Bhaskar Choudhary

THE establishment of the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) at last month’s G20 Summit has major implications for global sustainability and energy security. This alliance signifies a collective commitment among the world’s leading economies to accelerate the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. Biofuels, derived from renewable biomass, offer a promising alternative to fossil fuels, contributing significantly to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigating climate change. They also enhance energy diversification and reduce dependence on volatile oil markets, bolstering energy security for member nations. By fostering international cooperation and knowledge-sharing, this alliance is poised to promote research and development, investment and the adoption of advanced biofuel technologies.

The Government of India has been fostering the growth of the biofuel industry through proactive policies since 2001, when the country initiated the 5 per cent Ethanol Blending (E5) Programme. These policies are focused on giving a fillip to various categories of biofuels by providing essential financial support, establishing a robust feedstock supply chain, promoting research and innovation in biofuel production technologies for both existing and new feed stocks, and encouraging the exploration of locally available feedstock resources, given India’s rich biodiversity. The government has also introduced other significant initiatives to support the biofuel sector’s development, such as the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme aimed at boosting the production of compressed biogas, the provision of viable gap funding for second-generation (2G) bioethanol through the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana and grants to facilitate research and development in bioenergy. Despite the new policies and mandates, the average level of bioethanol blending in India has reached around 11%, with a lot of ground to cover to achieve the target of 20% by 2025-26.

India has augmented its ethanol production capacity from around 2 billion litres in 2014 to 5.3 billion litres in 2022; the target is to produce 15 billion litres by 2025. Currently, sugarcane-derived molasses, broken rice and other damaged foodgrains are primarily used to generate ethanol. With only surplus sugarcane and rice being diverted to fuel production, this option may not be sustainable in the long run.

Climate-related risks such as rising temperatures and erratic monsoon are already threatening surplus foodgrain production and thus may pose a challenge to sustaining an ambitious ethanol blending policy for the future. Moreover, India is currently a net importer of ethanol, which means that it is yet to contribute to an increase in energy security. Empirical studies have indicated that the production of about 165 lakh metric tonnes of grains and 60 lakh metric tonnes of sugar will be required by 2025 for ethanol utilisation. The required quantity of foodgrains for meeting the target is roughly 220 times greater than the amount of rice allocated by the Food Corporation of India for biofuel production in 2020-21. Moreover, an additional 19 million hectares of land will have to be dedicated to sugarcane cultivation.

Therefore, expanding first-generation (1G) biofuel production may have unintended consequences for agriculture and food security. Besides the ‘food versus fuel’ debate, the move will significantly increase the water footprint. More importantly, incentives for sugarcane/maize-based production for ethanol will be difficult to withdraw once introduced, given the strength of agricultural lobbies in most of the states.

Therefore, by supporting policy initiatives that promote 2G biofuel production and embracing sustainable agricultural practices, India can strike a balance between its energy needs and the imperative of ensuring food security for its growing population. India is the second-largest producer of agricultural waste in the world after China and generates about 500 million tonnes of it per year, of which more than half is discarded or burned. Inappropriate management of this agricultural waste generates greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, endangering the health of the people and the environment. The biochemical conversion of agri-waste into biofuels is a well-proven sustainable way of bioenergy production. Researchers have harnessed the power of genetic engineering to develop strains of bacteria and yeast that can break down lignocellulosic material found in agricultural residue, wood chips and various forms of waste biomass. These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) produce enzymes, such as cellulases and hemicellulases, that can efficiently degrade cellulose and hemicellulose into simpler sugars. This enzymatic hydrolysis process is a critical step in the conversion of biomass into biofuels as it releases fermentable sugars that can be further metabolised into bioethanol or other advanced biofuels. However, a well-developed infrastructure network is pivotal for the collection, transportation and storage of agricultural waste, ensuring a consistent supply of feedstock for biofuel production.

The government should consider making a budgetary allocation to implement measures to promote wasteland for the cultivation of energy crops and organise training sessions to impart technical know-how to farmers. Increasing the allocation and extending the term of the JI-VAN Yojana (2018-19 to 2023-24) and bringing more biofuel projects within its ambit are imperative for sustainable energy production. Further, bringing energy crops, particularly trees, under the production-linked incentive scheme and priority sector lending can ensure the sustainability of energy production, while simultaneously mitigating climate-related risks.

Pitambara is an independent researcher & agri-biotechnologist; Choudhary is a scientist (agri-economics) at ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. Views are personal

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