Mains Marathon

• Start your answer by describing Biofuels
• Mention the different types of Biofuels
• Give a brief about the National Biofuel Policy and explain its significance
• Conclude your answer by mentioning the importance of biofuels for India

Answer

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
• These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and electricity.

Categories of Biofuels

• First generation biofuels:
  • These are made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology.
  • Common first-generation biofuels include Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas.
• Second generation biofuels:
  • These are produced from non-food crops or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g. stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.
  • Thermochemical reactions or biochemical conversion process is used for producing such fuels.
• Third generation biofuels:
  • These are produced from micro-organisms like algae. Example: Butanol
  • Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.
  • One disadvantage is that fertilizers used in the production of such crops lead to environment pollution.
• Fourth 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.
  • The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.

National Policy on Biofuels, 2018

• The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels" viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels" - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.
• It basically gives thrust to the production of biofuels through various incentives.

Significance of National Policy on Biofuels, 2018

• Availability: Biofuels are produced from biomass and thus are renewable. The policy on biofuels will give a great push to its production.
• Source material: Whereas oil is a limited resource that comes from specific materials, biofuels can be manufactured from a wide range of materials including crop waste, manure, and other byproducts.
• Environment Pollution: Biofuels do not release as much carbon as fossil fuels do but fertilizers that are used in the growing biofuels lead to greenhouse emissions. Also, biofuels can help in managing the municipal solid wastes i.e. the waste can be converted into fuel.
• Security: Biofuels can be produced locally, which decreases the nation's dependence upon foreign energy. By reducing dependence on foreign fuel sources, countries can protect the integrity of their energy resources and make them safe from outside influences.
• Economic stimulation: Because biofuels are produced locally, biofuel manufacturing plants can employ hundreds or thousands of workers, creating new jobs in rural areas. Biofuel production will also increase the demand for suitable biofuel crops, providing economic stimulation to the agriculture industry.

Way Forward

Promotion of the use of biofuels in transportation in the countries like India will help in reducing the crude import bill.

Biofuels can help in rural and agricultural development in the form of new cash crops.

Efforts for producing sustainable biofuels should be made by ensuring use of wastelands and municipal wastes that get generated in cities.

A properly designed and implemented biofuel solution can provide both food and energy.