What is the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA)?

About Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA):

• GBA is a multi-stakeholder alliance of Governments, International Organizations, and Industries.
• It is an initiative by India,bringing together the biggest consumers and producers ofbiofuels to drive the development and deployment of biofuels.
• It was launched on the sidelines of the 2023G20 summit in New Delhi.
• The initiative aims to position biofuels as a key to the energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth.
• Significance of the alliance:
  • It will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, development of concrete policy lesson-sharing and provision of technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
  • It intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels through facilitating capacity-building exercises across the value chain, technology advancements, and intensifying the utilization of sustainable biofuels through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
  • GBA will facilitate the development, adoption, and implementation of internationally recognized standards, codes, sustainability principles, and regulations to incentivize biofuel adoption and trade.
  • The alliance will also act as a central repository of knowledge and an expert hub.
  • 24 countries and 12 international organizations have already agreed to join the alliance.

What is Biofuel? 

• It is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. 
• Different Generations of Biofuel:
  • First generation: They are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology. Common first-generation biofuels include Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas.
  • Second generation: These are produced from non-food crops, such as cellulosic biofuels and waste biomass (stalks of wheat and corn, and wood). Examples include advanced biofuels like biohydrogen, biomethanol.
  • Third generation: These are produced from micro-organisms like algae.
  • Fourth generation: Fourth-generation biofuels aim not only to generate sustainable energy but also to provide a way to capture and store CO2.

Q1: What is G20?

The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier intergovernmental forum for international economic cooperation. The forum plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom and United States) and the European Union. The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

Source: Global biofuel alliance sets up three-pronged work plan, says govt