Asian Development Bank (ADB) a multilateral lending agency on Monday said it has approved a $2.5 million (about Rs 18 crore) technical assistance to support advanced biofuel development in India. It is a part of Asia Clean Energy Fund, financed by the Government of Japan under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility, and the Republic of Korea’s e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund.
ADB said in a statement that the technical assistance (TA) will support development of advanced bioethanol, bio-compressed natural gas, and biodiesel plants to demonstrate the best practices for suitable feedstock, efficient conversion technology, and sustainable biofuel value chain. The fund will also support incorporating gender main-streaming design in the feedstock value chain to promote the empowerment of rural women in agriculture. With the help of advanced technology, advanced (or second-generation) biofuels could be produced from non-edible sources like agricultural residue, municipal solid waste, and used cooking oil. They can be used as bioethanol, biogas, and biodiesel for energy, transport, manufacturing, and medical purposes.
“The TA will take a cross-sector approach to tackle various thematic issues, such as energy security, transport mobility, agribusiness, financial stability, air and water pollution, waste disposal, public health, climate change, and the urban–rural divide,” said ADB Finance Specialist for South Asia Jongmi Son. To boost the biofuel investments, ADB will work with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Oil Industry Development Board, and public financial institutions, such as the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
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