Guwahati 9 August: Every year World Biofuel Day is observed all around the globe on August 10 to raise awareness of the importance of non-conventional fuel sources as an alternative to the traditional fossil fuels. The day promotes using unconventional fuel sources for sustainable development of the planet.
Conventional energy comes from finite sources such as natural gas, oil, coal, nuclear power, thermal power etc. These resources are finite and their excessive consumption has already started to put pressure on our climate. Biofuel on the other hand is non-exhaustible resource produced from renewable feedstock. Biofuel is produced from plants or from agricultural, domestic or industrial bio waste and can be therefore sustained for an indefinite period of time. Ethanol and biodiesel are the two most common types of biofuels currently in use. Both these biofuels represent the first generation of biofuel technology.
Biofuel is also a cost-effective and environment friendly alternative to the conventional energy sources. Biofuels can be used for transportation and heat and electricity generation. Currently the main application of biofuel in in transportation and 3% of world’s total transportation relies on it. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has the goal of meeting 25% of the world transportation fuel demands through biofuel by 2050 in order to reduce dependency on petroleum. The IEA is an intergovernmental organization based in Paris that maintains the entire global energy sectors.
Significance of World Biofuel Day There is an urgent need to reduce our dependency on conventional resources as they are depleting very fast. Other than that, conventional sources are also exerting too much pressure on the Earth by causing too much pollution. Biofuels on the other hand are far from depletion and can be considered as an infinite source of energy since it comes from biomass. Biofuel is also friendly to the environment as it produces up to 86% less greenhouse gases, 47% less particulate matter and reduced smog. Now, to promote the application of biofuels as an alternative to conventional sources, World Biofuel Day is observed every year.
The programme aims for a diverse range of speakers to provide a comprehensive perspective on the topic. Speakers from NECTAR, Guwahati Biotech Park, IITG and its Energy Dept., ASTU Energy Dept., Oil India Limited, Department of Renewable Energy, Indian Oil Corporation, GAIL, ONGC & NRL, Agricultural Dept., Government of Assam, Assam Energy Development Agency, Indian renewable Energy development Agency, Dairy and Animal Husbandry dept., Confederation of Indian Industry, IGGL, Guwahati Municipal Corporation & Pollution Control Board and many more.
The programme has been organised by Blue Core Energy (Red lemon Technologies Pvt. Ltd) in association with NECTAR and Guwahati Biotech Park in order to address the opportunities of renewable energy which has a great potential in Northeast India. Blue Core Energy is working on setting up a 5TPD CBG plant in Guwahati and has been working with various stakeholders of the industry and while working upon this initiative, there are many allied industries which would be developed in and around Guwahati once the plant gets commissioned. Blue Core Energy also aims to launch a technology for waste management from the various places within the 50kms vicinity of the plant site.