Mission Integrated Bio-refineries

• 05 Apr 2022

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Minister of State Science & Technology launched a major futuristic PPP (Public Private Participation) mode initiative for 'Clean Energy' with the full launch of “Mission Integrated Bio-refineries”.

• Material Acceleration Platforms (MAP) set up by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) were also launched which will leverage emerging capabilities in next-generation computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and robotics to accelerate the pace of materials discovery up to 10 times faster.

What is the Need of Mission Integrated Bio-refineries?

• Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport and chemicals sectors already account for nearly one-third of global emissions with transport responsible for already one-fourth of them, and are projected to increase by 2050, in particular from transport.
• Therefore, there is a need for low-carbon and renewable alternatives to fossil-based fuels, chemicals, and materials, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as, long-haul transportation, and industry.

What is the Goal of Mission Integrated Bio-refineries?

• Develop and demonstrate innovative solutions to accelerate the commercialization of integrated biorefineries, with a target of replacing 10% of fossil-based fuels, chemicals and materials with bio-based alternatives by 2030.

What is the Mission Integrated Bio-refineries?

• The Mission is Co-led by India and the Netherlands. Also involved are Brazil and Canada as core members, and the European Commission and the United Kingdom as supporting members.
• This is the sixth Mission launched by Mission Innovation, and joins initiatives focused on clean hydrogen, green power systems, net zero shipping, carbon dioxide removal and urban transitions.
• It will advance sustainable biorefining pathways and technologies to support the development and commercialization of bio-based fuels, chemicals and materials, by also considering process energy demands.
• This will support de-risking new and emerging technology, while improving the cost-competitiveness of bio-based alternatives, notably biofuels.
• The Mission unites a dynamic and results-oriented partnership of countries, international organisations, the corporate sector, academic institutions and civil society to accelerate innovation for renewable fuels, chemicals, and materials for a low- carbon future.
  
  • It will accelerate Clean Energy solutions through Public -Private Alliances.
• Its Members will:
  
  • Promote research, development, and innovation across the biorefining supply and value chain.
  • Advance pilot-scale demonstration projects for sustainable biorefining technologies.
  • Collaborate with industry and standards-setting organisations to support regulatory development for these new products.

What is Mission Innovation?

• Mission Innovation is a global initiative to catalyse action and investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible to all this decade.
  
  • Launched alongside the Paris Agreement in 2015.
• It is the main intergovernmental platform addressing clean energy innovation through action-oriented cooperation.
• Its members represent over 90% of global public investments in clean energy innovation and have increased their annual investments by USD 5.8 billion since 2015.
• The 23 members of Mission Innovation are: Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, the USA, and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union).

Source: PIB