India's Booming Biofuel Industry | Renewable Energy | Suhas Baxi, BiofuelCircle | Climate Clock

Discover the untapped potential of India's booming biofuel industry in CNBC-TV18's latest episode of The Climate Clock Podcast! From discussions about biomass to economic opportunities, we delve into the renewable energy revolution shaping the nation's future.

In conversation with Suhas Baxi, Co-Founder and CEO of BiofuelCircle.

#biofuels #biofuel #biofuelindia #renewableenergy #greenenergy #renewableenergies#sustainability #biofuelefficiency #india
#climateclockpodcast #climateaction #climatechange #cnbctv18digital #cnbctv18 #podcastepisode

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
👑 Check Out Top CNBC TV18 Playlist Videos:


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can also connect with CNBC-TV18 News Online

n18oc_business

About CNBC-TV18: India's leading business news channel, CNBC-TV18 offers the most comprehensive coverage of businesses, the economy and the financial markets. Catch all your favourite shows, exclusive videos, big-ticket interviews and more here.

[gopalhalliyur]

Bio fuel can be generated at villages using Agri waste. However, Agri machineries like tractors, diesel pump sets, diesel generators etc should be designed to work on the bio gas then it will be a great revolution. Also the impure bio gas from small bio digesters need to be purified, stored in cylinders which can be used in all diesel engine based machineries

[Sohelahmed]

India has a vast potential for biofuel production, with over 200 million metric tons of agricultural residue available annually. However, challenges like supply chain, storage, and financing constraints limit the current usage to only 20%. Biofuel Circle, a technology-driven platform, aims to address these issues by connecting farmers, transporters, and industries to create a sustainable biofuel ecosystem.


Highlights:
00:23 Biofuels, derived from biomass, offer a sustainable alternative to traditional fuels like petrol and diesel, revolutionizing transportation. Governments are promoting biofuels for their environmental benefits and technological advancements in converting biomass to modern-day fuels.
-Definition and production process of biofuels from biomass, including the technological advancements in converting biomass to modern-day fuels.
-Comparison between fossil fuels and biofuels, highlighting the use of biomass as a replacement for coal in power production.
-Current applications of biofuels like ethanol blending in petrol and compressed biogas for transportation, with a focus on India's ambitious targets in this sector.
07:03 The speaker discusses the constraints faced in the biofuel industry in India, highlighting the disconnect between rural and industrial enterprises. Overcoming these constraints could lead to harnessing a significant amount of biomass for energy needs.
-Challenges in establishing a supply chain for biofuels due to the historical development of fossil fuel supply chains over 150 years.
-Introduction of the Biofuel Circle concept focusing on technology-driven solutions to connect farmers, utilize idle resources like tractors, and create a biomass bank for storage and payment.
-Successful onboarding of thousands of farmers onto the platform within a short period, dispelling the myth of farmer reluctance towards technology in the biofuel industry.
13:07 The platform operates in multiple states, covering over 50 districts with thousands of farmers and businesses involved, facilitating biomass transactions worth over 200 CR annually, providing economic incentives to farmers and reducing stubble burning.
-Challenges in biomass utilization include lack of economic incentives for farmers to sell biomass, leading to burning, but offering a solution through providing a ready mechanism for biomass removal and payment.
-Infrastructure development and mechanization are crucial to address biomass management issues, requiring investments in machinery, storage facilities, and local aggregation to prevent stubble burning effectively.
-Government policies support the transition towards sustainable biomass utilization by offering subsidies for equipment purchases, encouraging farmer collectives, and implementing reward and penalty systems to deter stubble burning.
19:12 The speaker discusses the importance of creating mechanisms to recognize certain businesses as legitimate supply chain and industrial businesses, emphasizing the need to support small rural enterprises for biomass transportation, biofuel production, and biofertilizer utilization.
-Encouraging local Village level enterprises for biomass transportation and biofuel production is crucial for sustainability and economic viability.
-Utilizing biomass for biofuels and biofertilizers can lead to a $50 billion market opportunity by 2030, promoting circular economy practices.
-Biofuels, like compressed biogas, can be as efficient as fossil fuels in terms of mileage, with technology advancements ensuring comparable performance.
25:16 India is emerging as a leader in the biofuel industry, with the potential to establish strong global leadership and drive carbon neutrality through biomass-based initiatives.
-Formation of the Global Biofuel Alliance during G20 showcases India's leadership in bioenergy discussions and the potential for technology alliances among member countries.
-The Alliance aims to create a framework for carbon neutrality using biomass, addressing a global scale issue that could lead to meaningful carbon credit structures.
-Transitioning to biofuels involves a gradual blending approach to ensure reliability and infrastructure readiness, paving the way for a future where all rural energy is bioenergy-driven.
31:22 The long-term shift towards second-generation ethanol production using biomass as a base is a strategic move for sustainable fuel production, despite short-term policy challenges.
-Explanation of 1G and 2G ethanol production, highlighting the shift from sugar-based to starch-based biomass for ethanol creation, leading to technological advancements and significant investments.
-Major players investing in biofuel space, including private and public sector companies like Reliance, Adis, and Verbio, along with oil companies setting up ethanol production plants.
-Diversification opportunities in the biofuel sector attracting companies from various industries, such as power sector EPC companies exploring biochar production as an alternative to fuel conversion.

Generated by sider.ai

[sajukumarc]

I was not aware of this revolution...Grt content!! Green Economy.

[seshanm]

Very useful and interesting conversation. We have a Trust, working in the tribal area of Mokhada..so this is of particular interest. Thanks!

[stefanandersson]

I run my old Renault Laguna 3 DCI on biodiesel..we have biodiesel att almost every petrol station ⛽..an my car runs perfect 🚙😁💪

[AnkitG]

Great conversation. So many insights about an emerging industry.Thank you.

[counterpoint]

the key as per experts is not to use water guzzling crops like sugarcane to make ethanol..but make use of bio-waste or industrial waste gases from steel plants and such to make ethanol.. or municipal waste to fuels IH2 technology developed by companies like Shell

[hanamantmunnolli]

Thanks to CNBC team for organizing such an interview. It was very helpful.

[kausikmondal]

Nice Conversation and very Informative for New Entrepreneur. Thanks

[karanpotaliya]

One big banner per village regarding the biomass selling is enough to know about the scheme with proper drawings in it, you will cover entire village and plus thier will be word of mouth marketing.

[shrikantbadve]

Exemplary interview and thought provoking too....government needs to make this a part of its integrated rural development schemes. It should be made mandatory and also incentivised in the field of bioenergy. There is monetary gain for all and beneficial to environment..

[narendrakumarjain]

In my opinion, the simplest way to collect the bio-waste from the fields, is to establish the small, medium and large bio-fuel processing plants in the rural areas, similar to existing sugar mills. Then, all the farmers in the nearby areas should be trained to compress and convert into bales, which can then be transported by the farmers to the nearby processing plants to sell the same.

In rural Maharastra (Palghar district), I have seen old and traditional method of making bales from grazing grass, which does not require any electricity. It is fully mechanical and can be easily be introduced in Punjab & UP by the processing plants and made available to farmers. The baling can be done by the farmers manually themselves or with their farm hands. Such baling machines can also be improved upon and mechanized. Collection and transportation of bio-waste from the fields and transporting to the processing plants should not be that difficult.

In the areas where stubble burning is prevalent, I am sure the respective state govts. must be giving some monetary incentives to the farmers who may opt to convert their waste into bales and deliver to the processing plants.

[amitkumarsingh]

Amazing ideas and good initiative ❤ thank you Mr subah Baxi sir

[AbhishekPatelMusic]

Thank you so much for this lovely podcast

[njain]

Great interview Sonal. Very good questions which made the interview very informative.

[Shubham_Pandey]

Great insights! However, it would have been even more impactful if the discussion had included opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, along with a clear methodology for pursuing them. India has a large, energetic youth population with both passion and investment potential. Highlighting ways to involve them in the growth of the biomass sector could not only empower these entrepreneurs but also contribute significantly to the economy.
I think as a leader in the sector, people should define proven growth paths for others.

[tben]

Biofuel is a better alternative than EV. Cost of owing an EV vs converting a ICE to biofuel and with availability of biofuel, is an important factor.

[satishkumar-nioq]

Request to help in establishing contact with Mr. Suhas Baxi as I nned to giving my contribution in this reforms too.

[edge]

Parali alone can fuel ⛽️ 80 % gas demand...

[pankajbhandarkar]

Wow, this video was incredibly insightful! I really appreciated the detailed explanations and the engaging presentation. Looking forward to more content like this. Keep up the great work!