BIOFUELS AS AN ALTERNATE FUEL THE INDIAN SCENARIO

2 Biofuels are …  Alternate fuels produced from Biomass resources  Biomass is the oldest source of energy, currently account for 10% of primary energy consumption  Biomass is a sustainable and environment friendly feedstock that contributes significantly to a diverse energy portfolio

3 Global Status of biofuel production IEA billion litre 1.5% of global transport fuel consumption Year 4 Fold increase

4 The Biofuel Generations First Generation Second Generation Next Generation Biodiesel from Jatropha Bioethanol from Molasses Established technology, already commercialized Lignocellulosic ethanol Algal Biofuels Many at Pilot plant or demonstration stage Biobutanol Bio-hydrogen Green Diesel Biomethyl furan Bio-dimethyl ether Cutting edge technologies – require R&D intervention

5 National Status of Biofuel  In India oil production and consumption graph over the last two decades shows exponential increase of net import  Biofuel Production b. litre of ethanol 0.24 b. litre of biodiesel (IEA Market Report 2009)

6 The Potential in India for Biofuels Strengths  Alternate fuel source  Energy security of the country  Less GHG emissions, environment friendly  Higher Cetane number and better lubricating effect for biodiesel Weaknesses  Wasteland requirements  Need for engine modifications in higher blends  Market still in nascent stage  Still in field trial stage in India Opportunities  National Biodiesel policy  Keen interest of private players  R&D across the sector  Less dependency on depleting fossil fuels Threats  The discovery of huge gas reserves in India may push biofuels on the backfoot  Food vs. fuel debate  Cost effectiveness of Biofuels  Raw material DBT-CII Report 2010

7 National Biofuel Policy  Goal To ensure that a minimum level of biofuels become available to meet the demand.  Target 20% blending of biofuels by 2017

8 Research Priorities  Feed stock Development and Improvement  Improved Production Technologies  Biorefinery based fuels and biochemicals  Algal Biofuel  Synthetic Biofuel

9 Major Biofuels being researched upon BiofuelFeedStockTechnology BiodieselJatropha, TBOTransesterification batch / continuous process BioethanolCellulosic – Agricultural & forestry waste Pre-treatment enzyme modification Bio-butanol Bio-hyrogen Algae – Micro & Macro Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation Bio-hydrocarbonBiomassSynthetic biology

10 SNoBiofuel Feedstock StatusIntervention required 1Biodiesel – Jatropha Technology availableImproved feedstock quality germplasm 2Bioethanol – Cellulose Biomass Technology at Pilot Plant / Demonstration Cost effective pre- treatment and fermentation technologies standardized Improved enzyme consortia Microbial strains capable of fermenting C5 & C6 sugars Multi feedstock pilot plant Enzyme engineering screening, expression and production of new cellulose Improved fermentation technologies – 10 fold Sustainable technologies for conversion of lignin to value added products. R & D Intervention

11 SNoBiofuel Feedstock StatusIntervention required 3.Biobuthanol Biohydrogen  At preliminary research stage  Metabolically engineered strains  Process validation  Optimal strain development  Novel fermentation method  Butanol recovery 4.Algal Biofuel  At initial stages, scattered at various centre  Algal repositories established, 2000 collections  Production technologies at small scale  Identification of high yielding, fast growing strain  Improved production system  Harvesting and processing 5.BiohydrocarbonVery preliminary, basic research  Strengthen research groups and infrastructure  Build collaborations

12 R&D Efforts – Agencies involved  Ministry of Agriculture – Indian Council of Agricultural Research  Ministry of Defence – Defence Research Development Organization  Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE)  Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas – Indian Oil Corporation  Ministry of Science & Technology Council of Scientific & Industrial Research Department of Biotechnology Department of Science & Technology

13 DBT’s Energy Bioscience Program Vision To make available, economically viable alternative fuel from Biomass to meet the energy deficit and national targets of biofuel blending

14 Goals and Targets  Ethanol from cellulosic biomass by 2012 (agricultural and forestry waste)  Biodiesel from varied feed stocks  Harness optimally the energy potential of all natural resources for conversion to alternative fuel  Create alternative second generation biofuels through synthetic biology

National Programme on Energy Biosciences More than 53 research institutes, universities and industries involved Bioethanol Algal Biofuel Biodiesel Energy Bioscience Centre Capacity Building Re-engineered feed stock Re-engineered microorganisms Process optimization Collection and characterization Establishment of repositories Development of production system Quality planting material Improved feed stock Process optimization Biohydrogen Biobutanol Synthetic biology Energy Bioscience Chairs Energy Bioscience Overseas Fellowships Next generation Biofuels

16 DBT- ICT Centre for Energy Biosciences India’s first National Bioenergy Research Centre Multidisciplinary Centre with state-of-the-art facility for high tech R&D in enzyme technology; fermentation and bioprocess technology microbial genomics, proteomics, metabolomics Achievements in first year of operation  Competitive Cellulosic Ethanol technology developed with rice/wheat straw; bagasse; and cotton stalk  First Pilot Plant based on ICT Technology for 10 ton biomass/day being put up by India Glycols Ltd. at Kashipur, Uttarakhand – To be operational by mid-2010

Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass – Biotechnological Interventions Cellulosic Biomass Forestry and Agriculture Waste (Prosopis, Lantana, Sweet sorghum, Agriculture waste) Pretreatment Hydrolysis  Chemical  Enzymatic  Biological  Reduce cost of cellulase enzymes  Combination of both enzymatic and biological system  Develop efficient biological system Fermentation  Recombinant microorganisms  Thermotolerant  Can hydrolyse both hexose and pentose sugar  Generate biocatalyst for bioconversion of hemicellulosic sugar to products Purification / Distillation EthanolWaste water Simultaneous saccharification & fermentation Acid Hydrolysis expensive Interventions Barriers

Production of Jatropha Quality Material – Current Strategy Selection of Superior material Seed Testing Quality materialConservation Documentation & Characterization Clonal Nurseries Multi locational Agroclimatic trials Mother stock for large plantation Oil content 30-35% Oil quality Yield 2t/ha Supply to State/ Forest/ Nursery for further bulking Morphological Molecular chemical Passport data accession number

19 Multi-location trials of Jatropha across the country  First systematic study for morphological, chemical and molecular characterization of germplasm  400 accessions bulked to raise 17 lakh quality plants Collections made by institutes Collections accessioned Accessions used for trials Institutions involved Area under plantation Number of plants in trials ha693696

20 Feed stock improvement  R&D supported for plant improvement – oil quality, content, yield, biotic and abiotic stress  Gene prospecting for increased oil synthesis  Metabolic engineering of oil biosynthesis pathway  Molecular markers for marker aided selection  Pongamia, Mahua and Castor also being tested as potential feedstock

21 Algal Biofuels A National Network involving 12 Laboratories Analytical Centre R&D for Strain improvement Increased Lipid Increased Biomass 8 Collection and characterization Centres 3 Centres for developing Production Systems Photo bioreactor Race way pond Open Sea 3 Repositories Cyanobacteria Marine Algae Fresh water Algae

22 Next Generation Fuels  Butanol  DMF  Biohydrogen Diesel  Biomethanol  Bio-DME  Biohydrogen

23 DBT-CII Study an estimate of energy and carbon balance Biofuel Type FeedstockNet Energy Ratio Net Energy Balance (GJ /kl) Net Carbon Balance (tCO 2 e/kl) % Carbon emission reduction BioethanolMolasses % Sweet Sorghum % Cellulosic Biomass (Bagasse) % Cellulosic Biomass (Rice Straw) % BiodieselJatropha – Transesterification % Jatropha-SVO %

24 Capacity Building  National Chairs for scientists of eminence  National Energy Bioscience fellowships for Re-entry  Niche area Overseas fellowship  Ph.D and post doctoral fellowship at the Centers of Excellence  Specialized short term training programmes in the identified areas  Industrial trainings

25 In Conclusion  Biofuels offer enormous potential  Time bound, coordinated efforts will be essential to exploit this potential optimally