Global Biofuel Alliance

Subject: IR

Section: Groupings

Context: The Global Biofuels Alliance was formally launched on the side-lines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

What is Global Biofuels Alliance:

It is an India-led Initiative to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry to facilitate the adoption of biofuels.
A total of 19 countries and 12 international organizations have so far agreed to join the alliance, including both G20 members and non-member countries.
India, Brazil and the US are the founding members of the alliance.
This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector.
India, the US and Brazil account for a total of 85 percent of the global ethanol production with the US holding 55 per cent share followed by Brazil 27 per cent and India 3 per cent.

What is Biofuel

Biofuels are renewable energy sources derived from biomass, such as crop stubble, plant waste, and municipal solid waste.
Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
- Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
- Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
- Gaseous: Biogas

What are different generations of biofuel

First generation: It is produced from consumable food items containing starch (rice and wheat), sugar (beets and sugarcane) for bioalcohols, or vegetable oils for biodiesel.
Second generation: It is mainly obtained from non-food feedstocks such as forest/industry/agricultural wastes and waste or used vegetable oils.
Third generation: It is known as ‘algae fuel’ and is derived from algae in the form of both biodiesel and bioalcohols.
Fourth generation: Like the third generation, 4G biofuels are made using non-arable land. However, unlike the third, they do not need the destruction of biomass.