India’s Union Cabinet has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and the Federative Republic of Brazil on bioenergy cooperation.
India and Brazil are major consumers of energy and Brazil is one of the most important trading partners of India in the entire LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region.
According to a press release, Brazil is currently the world’s second-largest producer and consumer of biofuels.
Biofuels and bioelectricity accounted for 18% of Brazil’s energy mix. India also has a strong focus in the area of biofuels and has set a target to achieve 20% blending of ethanol in petrol and 5% blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030 with the announcement of a new policy on biofuels in 2018.
During the meeting between India’s Prime Minister and President of Brazil in India in 2016, the two sides agreed to cooperate on research and development of renewable energies, as well as in the field of second-generation biofuels.
In this regard, the MoU provides a framework to cooperate and promote investment in biofuel, bioelectricity, and biogas supply-chains, including feedstock, industrial conversion, distribution, and end-use sectors.
Under the MoU, the two sides will exchange information on agricultural practices and policies regarding biomass for bioenergy, including sugarcane, corn, rice, oil-crops, and lignocellulosic crops.
It will create new policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions levels based on the use of biofuels, using cycle analysis and the issuance of emissions reduction certificates traded in an organised market.
Other features of the MoU include trade aspects and the promotion of a joint position to address market access and sustainability of biofuels, including advanced biofuels; engine and fuel modifications or adjustments that may be necessary for different percentages of biofuels blended with fossil fuels.
A total of 47.86 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country during the last six years, that is from March 2014 to October 2019.
The initiatives taken by the Government to explore new and renewable energy sources in the country inter-alia include:
- The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% under the automatic route
- The waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses for inter-state sale of solar and wind power projects
- A notification of standard bidding guidelines to enable distribution licensee to procure solar and wind power at competitive rates in a cost-effective manner
- The declaration of trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) up to the year 2022
- Schemes such as the PM-KUSUM, solar rooftop phase-II, and 12,000 MW CPSU scheme Phase-II
The Government has set a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by the year 2022, which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from biomass, and 5 GW from small hydro.
All the major programmes and schemes that are being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have established mechanisms to monitor the implementation of these schemes.