World Biofuel Day 2020 | UPSC

World Biofuel day 2020 | UPSC

HEADLINES:

Webinar on the occasion of the World Biofuel day organized

WHY IN NEWS:

Secretary, PNG calls for support of states for the sector in a big way, and also sensitizing other the farmers and the common public in waste management

MINISTRY? :-Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Biofuels from biomass : Biotechnology

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS go through aim , theme and significance of this event .

For MAINS we have mentioned everything about production of Biofuels. Let us dive in !

ISSUE:

WORLD BIO-FUEL DAY 2020

AIM

Every year 10th August is observed as World Bio-Fuel Day in a bid to create awareness about non fossil-fuels (Green Fuels).

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural gas has started observing the World Bio fuel Day since 2015.

THEME

“Biofuels towards atmanirbhar bharat”
Biofuels programme is also in synergy with Government of India’s initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat and accordingly, the theme for World Biofuel Day 2020 has been chosen.

BIOFUELS

Biofuels are environment friendly fuels and their utilization would address global concerns about containment of carbon emissions.

Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.

SOLID BIOFUELS : Wood, dried plant material, and manure
LIQUID BIOFUELS : Bioethanol and Biodiesel
GASEOUS BIOFUELS : Biogas

SIGNIFICANCE

Biofuels are derived from renewable bio-mass resources.
They provide a strategic advantage to supplement conventional energy sources in meeting the rapidly increasing requirements for transportation fuels .

Biofuels have the benefits of reducing import dependency on crude oil, cleaner environment.

These are also additional income to farmers and employment generation in rural areas.
The biofuels programme is also in synergy with the Government of India initiatives for Make in India, Swachh Bharat and enhancing farmers’ income.

PRODUCTION OF BIOFUELS

BIOETHANOL

Ethanol produced from biomass such as sugar containing materials, like sugarcane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum etc.

Starch containing materials such as corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, algae etc.
Cellulosic materials such as bagasse, wood waste, agricultural and forestry residues or other renewable resources like industrial waste.
BIODIESEL : a methyl or ethyl ester of fatty acids produced from non-edible vegetable oils, acid oil, used cooking oil or animal fat and bio-oil.

World BIOFUELS Day 2020 UPSC

ADVANCED BIOFUELS

Fuels which are produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks (i.e. agricultural and forestry residues)

EXAMPLE

Rice & wheat straw/corn cob s & stover/bagasse, woody biomass), non-food crops (i.e. grasses, algae).

Industrial waste and residue streams having low CO₂ emission or high GHG reduction and do not compete with food crops for land use.
Fuels such as Second Generation (2G) Ethanol, Drop-in fuels, algae based 3G biofuels, bio-CNG, bio-methanol, Di Methyl Ether (DME) derived from bio-methanol.
Also Bio-hydrogen, drop in fuels with MSW as the source / feedstock material will qualify as “Advanced Biofuels“.

DROP-IN FUELS

Any liquid fuel produced from Biomass, agri-residues, wastes such as Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW), Plastic wastes, Industrial wastes etc .

BIO-CNG

Purified form of bio-Gas whose composition & energy potential is similar to that of fossil based natural gas.
This is produced from agricultural residues, animal dung, food waste, MSW and Sewage water.

IASbhai WINDUP:

Biofuels have multiple benefits such as reduction on import dependence, ensuring a cleaner environment, generating additional income for farmers and employment generation.
Under the Ethanol Blending Program, OMCs have procured 113.09 Crore litres of Biodiesel from 01.12.19 to 03.08.20.

SOURCES: PIB | World Biofuel Day 2020

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