Membership for Global Biofuel Alliance to be opened up on July 22: H S Puri

Subject : Environment

Section: Sustainable development

Context:

The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), which is backed by the US, Brazil and India, will be opened up for membership from other countries on July 22 during the G20’s Energy Transition Ministerial Meeting (ETMM) in Goa.

Details:

India, the US and Brazil account for a total of 85 per cent of the global ethanol production with the US holding 55 per cent share followed by Brazil (27 per cent) and India (3 per cent).

Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA):

Established by: India, Brazil and the US.
Aim: To facilitate cooperation and intensify the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector.
- The alliance will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, development of concrete policy lesson-sharing and provision of technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
- It will also emphasize the already implemented best practices and success cases.
The Alliance shall work in collaboration with and complement the relevant existing regional and international agencies as well as initiatives in the bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition fields more broadly including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives and Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).

GBA membership:

Membership to the alliance is also open for interested countries beyond G-20 as well.
The GBA will also be a competent organisation which will set technical standards for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) business in collaboration with relevant industry bodies.
The GBA will be having a three-category membership structure bringing together member countries, partner organizations and industries.

Global Bioenergy Partnership(GBEP):

Founded in: 2006
Purpose: GBEP brings together public, private and civil society stakeholders in a joint commitment to promote bioenergy for sustainable development.
Focus areas: The Partnership focuses its activities on three strategic areas: Sustainable Development – Climate Change – Food and Energy Security
India is one of the observer countries.

What are Biofuels?

Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.
Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
- Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
- Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
- Gaseous: Biogas

Classification of biofuels:

Biofuel	Description
1st generation biofuels	Any biofuel made from a feedstock that can also be consumed as human food is considered a first-generation biofuel. They are also called conventional biofuels. Made from things like sugar, starch, or vegetable oil. Note that these are all food products.
2nd generation biofuels	They are produced from sustainable feedstock. The sustainability of a feedstock is defined by its availability, its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, its impact on land use, and by its potential to threaten the food supply. No second-generation biofuel is also a food crop, though certain food products can become second-generation fuels when they are no longer useful for consumption. Second-generation biofuels are often called “advanced biofuels.”
3rd generation biofuels	They are derived from algae. These biofuels are given their own separate class because of their unique production mechanism and their potential to mitigate most of the drawbacks of 1st and 2nd generation biofuels.
4th generation biofuels	In the production of these fuels, crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass. The crops are then converted into fuel using second-generation techniques.

History of ethanol blending in India

Since 2001, India has tested the feasibility of ethanol-blended petrol whereby 5% ethanol blended petrol was supplied to retail outlets.
In 2002, India launched the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme and began selling 5% ethanol blended petrol in nine States and four Union Territories that was extended to twenty States and four UTs in 2006.
Until 2013-14, however, the percentage of blending never crossed 1.5%.
In 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified that E5 [blending 5% ethanol with 95% gasoline] petrol and the rubber and plastic components used in gasoline vehicles produced since 2008 be compatible with the E10 fuel.
In 2019, the Ministry notified the E10 fuel [blending 10% ethanol with 90% gasoline].
The rubber and plastic components used in petrol vehicles are currently compatible with E10 fuel.
Standards for E20, E85 and even E100 fuel have already been laid. This includes standards for ethanol blended diesel.
Since 2020, India has been announcing its intent to achieve 10% blending by the end of 2022 and 20% blending by 2030.
The Centre has also targeted 5% blending of biodiesel with diesel by 2030.

Effect on Indian Reserves

India’s net import of petroleum was 185 million tons at a cost of $55 billion in 2020-21.
Most of the petroleum is used by vehicles and therefore a successful 20% ethanol blending programme could save the country $4 billion per annum, or about ₹30,000 crore.
India’s current ethanol production capacity consists of 426 crore litres from molasses-based distilleries, and 258 crore litres from grain-based distilleries.
This is expected to increase to 760 crore litres and 740 crore litres respectively and would suffice to produce 1016 crore litres of ethanol required for EBP and 334 crore litres for other uses.

Effect on engines

When using E20, there is an estimated loss of 6-7% fuel efficiency for four wheelers which are originally designed for E0 and calibrated for E10, 3-4% for two wheelers designed for E0 and calibrated for E10 and 1-2% for four wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20.

Environmental costs of ethanol blending

Because ethanol burns more completely than petrol, it avoids emissions such as carbon monoxide.
However, tests conducted in India have shown that there is no reduction in nitrous oxides, one of the major environmental pollutants.
For India, sugarcane is the cheapest source of ethanol.
On average, a ton of sugarcane can produce 100 kg of sugar and 70 litres of ethanol but that would mean 1,600 to 2,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of sugar, implying that a litre of ethanol from sugar requires about 2,860 litres of water.