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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/biofuels/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
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					<title>India’s ethanol push moves from the pump to the field, raising water and food questions</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/indias-ethanol-push-moves-from-the-pump-to-the-field-raising-water-and-food-questions/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/indias-ethanol-push-moves-from-the-pump-to-the-field-raising-water-and-food-questions/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Jul 2026 16:31:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethanol blending]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/28144133/signal-2026-07-28-12-24-18-195_003-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biofuels, Environment, Food, Fossil Fuels, Green Energy, Human Rights, Industry, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is the third part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. This part examines how India&#8217;s ethanol model increasingly moving beyond sugarcane and molasses-based production to grains, raising questions about pressures on livestock feed and the food processing industry. The second part examined the challenges of procurement, storage, transport and quality control. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is the third part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. This part examines how India&#8217;s ethanol model increasingly moving beyond sugarcane and molasses-based production to grains, raising questions about pressures on livestock feed and the food processing industry. The second part examined the challenges of procurement, storage, transport and quality control. In December 2025, tractors and crowds of farmers gathered near an under-construction grain-based ethanol plant in Rathi Khera village in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district. They feared the project would strain local water resources, pollute groundwater and damage farmland. The company said the plant would use zero-liquid-discharge technology and pollution-control systems. The protest later escalated into clashes with police, and construction was halted. The Hanumangarh agitation was one of several protests against ethanol and distillery projects reported across India, including in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana, where communities have raised concerns about water use, pollution and impacts on farmland. These disputes are emerging as India’s ethanol industry undergoes a major shift from sugarcane-based to grain-based production. In the latest tender by state oil companies, grain-based distilleries supplied more than 70% of the ethanol procured, according to Athar Shahab, managing director of Zuari Industries Limited, an Indian conglomerate with businesses spanning agribusiness, sugar and biofuels, real-estate and engineering services. A decade ago, sugarcane molasses dominated India’s ethanol supply. That balance has now shifted. India now derives roughly 65-70% of its ethanol from grains, mainly maize and rice from Food Corporation of India warehouses, while sugarcane-based feedstocks contribute around&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/indias-ethanol-push-moves-from-the-pump-to-the-field-raising-water-and-food-questions/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Supporting infrastructure is the missing link in India&#8217;s ethanol push</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Jul 2026 12:39:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethanol blending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petrol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petroleum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vehicles]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39570</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biofuels, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Fossil Fuels, Green Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Industry, Sustainability, and Technology]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is the second part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil’s decades-long experience shows that producing ethanol is only half the challenge. This story examines the real test which lies in procurement, storage, transport and quality control, the systems that decide whether ethanol actually reaches the pump reliably. The first part [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is the second part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil’s decades-long experience shows that producing ethanol is only half the challenge. This story examines the real test which lies in procurement, storage, transport and quality control, the systems that decide whether ethanol actually reaches the pump reliably. The first part looked at what that difference means for vehicle owners in both countries. At a petrol pump in Bhopal’s Katara Hills, a 40-year-old pump attendant smiles when asked whether customers talk about ethanol-blended petrol. “People come and joke, ‘ganne ka juice bhardo’ (Fill sugarcane juice),” he says, referring to E20 petrol, a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. In India, sugarcane is one of the main feedstocks used to produce ethanol. The sarcasm reflects the public conversation that has followed the rapid expansion of E20. Videos and posts circulating online have raised questions about the colour and quality of the fuel, its compatibility with older vehicles, and possible changes in mileage or performance. Government agencies and automobile manufacturers have disputed several of these claims. The debate has nevertheless brought attention to how ethanol is transported, stored, blended and tested before fuel reaches a petrol pump. Brazil’s ethanol mission seems to have inspired India to a great extent as the South American country often comes up in India’s ethanol debate, usually as a success story of higher blends. Interactions with people who run Brazil’s ethanol system bring out some crucial lessons for India. For Brazil, where&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>The hidden burden of rural air pollution</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Jul 2026 16:07:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Himanshu Praveen]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick kiln]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rural India]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39390</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Bihar]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Health impacts, Human Rights, Industry, Pollution, and Villages]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the peak of summer, villages around Koilwar and Arrah in Bihar&#8217;s Bhojpur district are often hit by dust storms. By midday, strong winds sweep fine soil across agricultural fields, leaving crops and rooftops coated in dust. But the dust seen in summer is only the beginning. For local communities, air pollution typically worsens after [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the peak of summer, villages around Koilwar and Arrah in Bihar&#8217;s Bhojpur district are often hit by dust storms. By midday, strong winds sweep fine soil across agricultural fields, leaving crops and rooftops coated in dust. But the dust seen in summer is only the beginning. For local communities, air pollution typically worsens after the monsoon into the winter months when temperatures plunge, and ground-level wind speeds drop to near-stagnation. It prevents dust and emissions from industries and households from dispersing easily. As a result, pollutants accumulate near the ground, causing air quality to deteriorate. Vishwanath Pratap Singh, a local social activist based in Bhojpur, says, “During the summer, we somehow manage the heat and dust storms, which are challenging but still manageable. But the real disaster unfolds during the winter months when a strange heaviness grips the village air. &#8220;Persistent eye irritation and chronic throat infections have now become a daily reality for our children and the elderly,” he adds. Aamod Kumar, a resident of Koilwar, says the air becomes unbearable in winter. &#8220;Once the brick kilns start operating, the whole area fills with smoke, especially in the mornings. Ash settles on our crops, affecting the harvest. Stepping outside feels like breathing smoke instead of fresh air.&#8221; The concerns expressed by Aamod and Singh are not an isolated experience. It is supported by findings from a study conducted by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. Under the project named the AMRIT (Ambient Air Quality Monitoring over Rural areas using&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>What India’s ethanol push can learn from Brazil’s long ethanol journey</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>16 Jul 2026 14:30:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bioenergy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petrol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petroleum]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39353</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, Fossil Fuels, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is the first part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil has run on ethanol for decades, with drivers choosing from different blends of ethanol in petrol at fuel stations. India is moving through E20 as the default fuel blend, with far less consumer choice. This story looks at what that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is the first part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil has run on ethanol for decades, with drivers choosing from different blends of ethanol in petrol at fuel stations. India is moving through E20 as the default fuel blend, with far less consumer choice. This story looks at what that difference means for vehicle owners in both countries. At Posto Dallas, a fuel station in northern Brazil’s Belém city, a car pulls in. The driver checks the price board, then picks a fuel. The 27-year-old station attendant, John, sees this happen all day. “Mostly flex-fuel vehicles come here,” he said. “People see the price and ask us to fill the fuel in their tanks accordingly.” Posto Dallas fuel stations are supplied by the state-owned energy company Petrobras and operate under the brand. In Brazil, customers can choose between different percentages of ethanol blends or pure petrol depending on the price and usage. Most cars sold here are flex-fuel vehicles, built to run on different petrol-ethanol blends. Brazil has offered this choice for decades. In another part of the world, nearly 15,000 km away, at a petrol pump in Bhopal’s Katara Hills, the scene looks similar. Vehicles come and go, attendants fill tanks, customers decide fast. But one thing is different: the choice on offer. In India, the government made 20% ethanol blended petrol, called E20, the default fuel across all fuel stations under its ethanol blending programme. For Nicola Pamplona, a vehicle owner and a&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>LPG shortage leads to increased demand for clean-cooking solutions</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/lpg-shortage-leads-to-increased-demand-for-newer-clean-cooking-solutions/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/lpg-shortage-leads-to-increased-demand-for-newer-clean-cooking-solutions/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 May 2026 18:02:36 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shuchita Jha]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biogas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conflict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cooking fuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LPG]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/11160014/Sahyandri-school-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38102</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biofuels, Energy, Food, Fossil Fuels, Human Rights, and Waste management]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“My phone has not stopped ringing since the LPG crisis began,” said Priyadarshan Sahasrabuddhe of Pune, founder of Vaayu Mitra, a decentralised, waste-to-energy biogas model. The set-up promotes the use of home-generated biogas from wet-waste, over the typical LPG supply that homes use for cooking. The recent West Asia conflict led to an energy crisis [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“My phone has not stopped ringing since the LPG crisis began,” said Priyadarshan Sahasrabuddhe of Pune, founder of Vaayu Mitra, a decentralised, waste-to-energy biogas model. The set-up promotes the use of home-generated biogas from wet-waste, over the typical LPG supply that homes use for cooking. The recent West Asia conflict led to an energy crisis in India when the Strait of Hormuz — where most of India’s imported LPG comes through — was closed. Hospitality industry, food processing companies and households in the country rushed to switch to alternatives, many switching back to traditional wood and cow-dung cake-fuelled open stoves, and induction stoves. Soon after, long queues of people waiting in line for an LPG cylinder became a common sight in almost all cities of India with many paying as high as ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 for a ₹950 LPG cylinder, many being sold in the black market. Sahasrabuddhe has been LPG-free for the past seven years and his company has helped restaurants, cafeterias, canteens and families in Pune and nearby cities reduce their dependence on LPG. He has installed the biogas system for around 440 customers since 2015. The 405 currently active systems of the total installed manage 1,119 tonnes of waste annually, and the biogas produced in the process has saved around 3,000 LPG cylinders of 14 kg, worth ₹2.8 million in a decade. Sahasrabuddhe himself has saved around ₹70,000 in the last seven years doing all his cooking on biogas. The recent situation has brought in new challenges&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/lpg-shortage-leads-to-increased-demand-for-newer-clean-cooking-solutions/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>India’s new waste management rules face old implementation gaps</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-new-waste-management-rules-face-old-implementation-gaps-in-the-capital/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-new-waste-management-rules-face-old-implementation-gaps-in-the-capital/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Mar 2026 14:45:24 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Jyotsnika Tiwari]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Simrinsirur]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[industrial waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solid waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toxic Waste Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste-to-energy]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/06124304/AP20210450913024-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37176</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Delhi]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, Carbon emissions, Energy, Environment, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Pollution, Renewable Energy, and Waste management]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India&#8217;s environment ministry notified the new solid waste management (SWM) rules of 2026 on January 27, superseding the 2016 rules. The new rules signal a shift towards a more systematic compliance architecture, with a clearer outline of duties for waste generators, a revised definition of Bulk Waste Generators, and higher landfill user fees for mixed [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India&#8217;s environment ministry notified the new solid waste management (SWM) rules of 2026 on January 27, superseding the 2016 rules. The new rules signal a shift towards a more systematic compliance architecture, with a clearer outline of duties for waste generators, a revised definition of Bulk Waste Generators, and higher landfill user fees for mixed waste to encourage segregation. Well-intentioned as the new rules are, experts caution against gaps in implementation that have dogged solid waste management in India for decades. Illustrating this are the towering landfills in New Delhi — Bhalaswa, Ghazipur and Okhla — symbols of the city’s historical failure to segregate waste at source. Delhi leads all Indian cities, generating approximately 600 grams of waste per person per day. Nearly 64% of the collected waste is processed, according to the Central Pollution Control Bureau (CPCB), while the remaining 36% or. 4,241 tonnes, find its way to unsanitary landfills, or dumpsites everyday. These landfills and dumpsites are silent contributors to air pollution through the year as well as to greenhouse gas emissions and heat stress during the summers. Biomass and waste burning are the second largest contributors to particulate matter emissions in Delhi, contributing 23% to PM10 and 24% to PM2.5, according to one source apportionment study. When biodegradable waste accumulates and is left to rot, it produces methane, which has a warming potential 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, over a 20-year-period, and is the second-largest contributor to global warming. According to another study, higher&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-new-waste-management-rules-face-old-implementation-gaps-in-the-capital/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>India is well positioned to advance biobased climate tech, says Sara Trærup [Interview]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/india-is-well-positioned-to-advance-biobased-climate-tech-says-sara-traerup-interview/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/india-is-well-positioned-to-advance-biobased-climate-tech-says-sara-traerup-interview/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Oct 2025 11:56:40 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bio-based technologies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bioeconomy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Credit Programme]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[india]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[regenerative farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sustainable agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UNEP]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/10/28112536/IISD_ENB_SB60_4Jun24-KiaraWorth-81-1-e1761630963162-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35221</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Climate Innovations, and Environomy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Energy, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“India is at the forefront of the global bioeconomy transition, linking innovation, rural livelihoods and climate action in ways that can serve as a model for other developing economies,” said Sara Traerup, lead author of the Climate Technology Progress Report 2025, in an interview with Mongabay India. Released on October 23 by the United Nations [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“India is at the forefront of the global bioeconomy transition, linking innovation, rural livelihoods and climate action in ways that can serve as a model for other developing economies,” said Sara Traerup, lead author of the Climate Technology Progress Report 2025, in an interview with Mongabay India. Released on October 23 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), the report examines global progress in developing and transferring climate technologies. This year, the annual report focuses on bioeconomy, or the sustainable use of biological resources for energy, materials and food, and examines how it can contribute to both climate mitigation and adaptation. The report finds that bio-based innovation is expanding rapidly but that gaps in finance, policy and access still prevent many developing countries from fully benefiting from it. High upfront costs, weak institutional capacity and fragmented governance continue to limit technology deployment and inclusion, particularly for small producers and rural communities. India is highlighted among the countries that are backing climate technologies  with public financing and investments to advance sustainable development and climate action. According to the report, India’s Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and Green Credit Programme are providing financial and market-based incentives to support biological input manufacturing, waste management and regenerative agricultural practices, to advance climate-resilient infrastructure and biobased technologies.  At the same time, UNEP cautions that the growth of the bioeconomy must be guided carefully to avoid conflicts with food production and ecosystem protection. The report stresses that secure land rights,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/india-is-well-positioned-to-advance-biobased-climate-tech-says-sara-traerup-interview/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/india-is-well-positioned-to-advance-biobased-climate-tech-says-sara-traerup-interview/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Converting carbon dioxide into fuels for the future</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/converting-carbon-dioxide-into-fuels-for-the-future/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/converting-carbon-dioxide-into-fuels-for-the-future/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Oct 2024 18:48:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biofuels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carbon Capture and Utilisation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Methanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/10/11172803/1024px-Ethanol_burning_flame-e1728647925998-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=29849</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biofuels and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In 2005, Nobel Laureate and Hungarian-American chemist George A. Olah proposed, with two others, that the world embrace a “methanol economy” – a future where the economy depends not on fossil fuels, but on methanol and dimethyl ether (DME)-based fuels. The methanol economy, through the recycling of carbon dioxide, “will eventually free mankind from dependence [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In 2005, Nobel Laureate and Hungarian-American chemist George A. Olah proposed, with two others, that the world embrace a “methanol economy” – a future where the economy depends not on fossil fuels, but on methanol and dimethyl ether (DME)-based fuels. The methanol economy, through the recycling of carbon dioxide, “will eventually free mankind from dependence on diminishing natural fossil fuels,” Olah wrote. Over two decades later, the world’s economy continues to be steeped in fossil fuel use. But Olah’s work and vision has motivated newer innovations in renewable fuels. Bappi Paul, a scientist with the National Forensic Sciences University in Ahmedabad, was recently awarded the Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar for leapfrogging by using carbon dioxide to directly produce not methanol, but ethanol. The Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar is a government award that recognises young scientists who have made “exceptional contributions to science and technology.” Both methanol and ethanol are alcohol-based, biodegradable fuels, but one of the key differences between them is that methanol has just one carbon atom while ethanol has two. Methanol has uses as both a fuel and a chemical, but is toxic and volatile to store. Ethanol, by comparison, is more energy dense and amenable to blending with petroleum. India, for example, has a target of blending 20% of ethanol with petroleum by 2025-26 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released on fuel combustion. But it’s the additional carbon atom in ethanol that has made its direct production from carbon dioxide particularly challenging. “Both carbon dioxide and methanol&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/converting-carbon-dioxide-into-fuels-for-the-future/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Experimenting with biogas from cactus</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/experimenting-with-biogas-from-cactus/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/experimenting-with-biogas-from-cactus/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Aug 2024 14:09:41 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shuchita Jha]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biogas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bundelkhand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cactus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cow dung]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uttar Pradesh]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/08/13202539/Spineless-fodder-cactus-growing-in-the-IGFRI-campus-in-Jhansi.-Photo-Shuchita-Jha-768x461.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=29001</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Uttar Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Biofuels, and Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[To enhance the production of biogas in Uttar Pradesh’s semi-arid region of Bundelkhand, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) &#8211; Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) are pioneering a transformation in agricultural practices with the spineless fodder cactus in Jhansi.  Germplasm of 15 [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[To enhance the production of biogas in Uttar Pradesh’s semi-arid region of Bundelkhand, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) &#8211; Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) are pioneering a transformation in agricultural practices with the spineless fodder cactus in Jhansi.  Germplasm of 15 varieties of spineless cacti, locally known as Nagphani, were imported from countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Tunisia and Italy back in 2014 to experiment with growing the varieties here to substitute the need for green fodder during summers.  “Apart from fodder, the plant also has several other uses,” said D. R. Palsaniya, Head and Principal Scientist, Agronomy, IGFRI.  “The plant is used for five ‘Fs’ that stand for fodder, food, fibre, fertiliser and fuel. The fruit of this cactus, known as prickly pear, is eaten as fruit in many countries while the cactus has also found uses in manufacturing vegan leather. The slurry of the cactus when mixed with cow dung makes for good, organic fertiliser while also producing biofuel,” he said.  Spineless cactus bearing fruits in Jhansi. The fruits of the cactus, called prickley pear are eaten when ripe. Image by Shuchita Jha. After conducting feeding trials on various herbivores in the IGFRI campus, the scientists found that the cactus could be mixed with any kind of fodder to substitute 30% of the dry-matter requirement of the animals and provide enough water content in summer.  Prince Jain, a local farmer and resident of Sakrar&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/experimenting-with-biogas-from-cactus/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Uttar Pradesh to fast-track biofuel production with the right blend of ethanol and biogas</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/07/uttar-pradesh-to-fast-track-biofuel-production-with-the-right-blend-of-ethanol-and-biogas/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/07/uttar-pradesh-to-fast-track-biofuel-production-with-the-right-blend-of-ethanol-and-biogas/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Jul 2024 15:16:08 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shuchita Jha]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biogas plant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethanol blending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sugarcane]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/07/24114122/Spineless-cactus-farm-at-the-IGFRI-campus-in-Jhansi.-Photo-Shuchita-Jha-768x443.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=28689</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Uttar Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Alternative energy, Biofuels, Energy, and Environment]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India has set a target of net-zero emissions by 2070, and to reduce its GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 levels. In line with these targets, the country is promoting fuel blending to reduce vehicular emissions. After setting a target of 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2030 under the Ethanol [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India has set a target of net-zero emissions by 2070, and to reduce its GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 levels. In line with these targets, the country is promoting fuel blending to reduce vehicular emissions. After setting a target of 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2030 under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, the government is now promoting the blending of compressed biogas (CBG) with compressed natural gas and piped natural gas for transport and domestic sectors respectively. To claim its position as the leader in biofuel production, Uttar Pradesh, one of the leading ethanol producers in the country, is now expanding its potential for green fuel production with biogas. The state, riding on an ample amount of organic biomass availability to produce biomethane, is gearing up to set up 100 CBG plants, the highest in the country so far, in the coming time. Uttar Pradesh has a potential to set up over 1,000 biogas plants, as per a 2022 report by the Centre for Science and Environment. The CBG plant in UP’s Badaun, inaugurated in January this year, has a processing capacity of 100 metric tonnes (MT) of rice straw per day and can generate 14 MT of CBG along with 65 MT of solid manure per day. Addressing the public during the inauguration, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that upon stabilisation of production, the Badaun plant will help in reducing stubble burning of 17,500-20,000 acres of fields translating&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/07/uttar-pradesh-to-fast-track-biofuel-production-with-the-right-blend-of-ethanol-and-biogas/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>High capital investment and poor access to subsidies, a drawback for biogas in sago industry</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/lack-of-subsidies-a-major-drawback-for-biogas-in-sago-industry/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/lack-of-subsidies-a-major-drawback-for-biogas-in-sago-industry/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Jul 2023 11:19:07 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Laasya Shekhar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biogas]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/06/27121959/Biogas-generated-from-waste-water-from-Sago-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=23381</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biofuels, and Clean Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The whirring of machines stops for an hour in the afternoon. Before heading for their lunch break, V. Kumaran, a worker, checks the PH levels at the biomethanation plants at the Sri Velmurugan Sago factory in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district. The biomethanation process in these plants is when the wastewater produced in the sago manufacturing [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The whirring of machines stops for an hour in the afternoon. Before heading for their lunch break, V. Kumaran, a worker, checks the PH levels at the biomethanation plants at the Sri Velmurugan Sago factory in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district. The biomethanation process in these plants is when the wastewater produced in the sago manufacturing process, is used to convert organic waste to biogas. The biogas generated, in turn, is used to generate electricity which has been a game-changing move that reduces the factory&#8217;s power costs. Sri Velumurugan Sago factory, located in the state’s Attur taluka in Salem district, runs for 20-22 hours a day, consuming 125 units of electricity per hour. From cleaning the tapioca (raw material used to manufacture sago) to crushing it and sedimenting the tapioca powder, every step of sago production is water and power intensive. The tropical, humid climate in Salem district favors tapioca cultivation (locally called kuchi kizhangu). Tapioca is processed into starch, which is used as a binding ingredient in medicinal tablets and to add concentration in the food and beverage industry. Starch is later processed into sago, which has a huge market in Maharashtra and Assam. 80% of India’s sago and starch production happens in Tamil Nadu. There are currently 400 sago manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu produces 2.25 million tonnes of sago every day. With around 200 factories in operation, Salem district is the country’s largest producer of sago. Source: Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Sri Velumurugan&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/lack-of-subsidies-a-major-drawback-for-biogas-in-sago-industry/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Waste to bio-CNG: The role of Indian sugar mills in the transition to cleaner fuel</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/01/waste-to-bio-cng-the-role-of-indian-sugar-mills-in-the-transition-to-cleaner-fuel/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/01/waste-to-bio-cng-the-role-of-indian-sugar-mills-in-the-transition-to-cleaner-fuel/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Jan 2023 12:15:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Kumar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bio-CNG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SATAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sugar mills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sugarcane]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/01/05194539/IMG_3705-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=21230</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biofuels and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Sugar mills in the sugarcane-growing state of Maharashtra are experimenting with using press mud, a by-product of sugarcane, in producing bio-CNG, a renewable source of transport fuel. One of the earliest attempts at doing this is a 2012 collaborative project in the Kolhapur district of the state in which a bio-CNG processing unit, has been [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Sugar mills in the sugarcane-growing state of Maharashtra are experimenting with using press mud, a by-product of sugarcane, in producing bio-CNG, a renewable source of transport fuel. One of the earliest attempts at doing this is a 2012 collaborative project in the Kolhapur district of the state in which a bio-CNG processing unit, has been using press mud supplied by the Warana sugar mill, to produce bio-CNG. Press mud is the compressed waste that remains after crushing sugarcane. “Around a decade ago with the help of researchers from the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, we first tried to analyse the potential of press mud to produce bio-CNG in labs and it was successful. We collaborated with the Warana sugar mill for the supply of press mud. Later, we started producing bio-CNG from press mud on a commercial scale. Initially, we started with one tonne (1000 kg) of press mud per day and then we went up to 100 tonnes (100,000 kg) of press mud per day,” Mohan Rao, Chairman of Spectrum Renewable Pvt. Ltd, the processing unit producing bio-CNG at Warana, told Mongabay-India. The unit produces four tonnes of bio-CNG per day and has the capacity to go up to a daily production of eight tonnes of bio-CNG. The bio-CNG produced through this collaborative approach is now bought by Indian Oil, one of the leading Indian Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). It is sold at the two outlets of the OMC near Warana and its outskirts at Amrutnagar, situated close to the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/01/waste-to-bio-cng-the-role-of-indian-sugar-mills-in-the-transition-to-cleaner-fuel/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>[Explainer] Are biofuels finally coming of age?</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/explainer-are-biofuels-finally-coming-of-age/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/explainer-are-biofuels-finally-coming-of-age/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Jul 2022 11:41:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anusha Krishnan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biofuels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/07/11141631/800px-MakeInIndia-NMPL-Scania-Ethanol-e1657529215305-768x376.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=19039</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Environment Explained]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Biofuels, Clean Energy, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Fossil fuels kickstarted the industrial age for humanity. However, humans now face the possibility of running out of these fuels by the end of this century. So, where do industries that are heavily dependent on such fuels look to for equivalent energy sources? The answer lies in the global movement towards utilising renewable energies provided by [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Fossil fuels kickstarted the industrial age for humanity. However, humans now face the possibility of running out of these fuels by the end of this century. So, where do industries that are heavily dependent on such fuels look to for equivalent energy sources? The answer lies in the global movement towards utilising renewable energies provided by solar, hydro, and wind-power, along with biofuels. The main advantages of biofuels over conventional fossil fuels is that the world is unlikely to deplete its sources of biofuels, as they are renewable. In addition, most biofuels have lower greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels. For many countries such as India, domestic biofuel production can reduce the consumption of imported fossil fuels, which provides economic gains, in addition to shielding against supply disruptions and fuel price fluctuations. Despite these advantages, the environmental sustainability of biofuel production due to its negative effects on food security and land-use changes, remains unclear. If India is to expand its biofuel sector, the approach needs to be multipronged and rooted in sustainability, recommend experts. What are biofuels? Biofuels are combustible materials that are produced over short spans of time from biomass, rather than over millions of years such as fossil fuels. The term ‘biofuel’ is considered to be a catchall term to define any fuel made from organic matter (plant matter, microorganisms, or animal waste). Although ‘biofuel’ is often used interchangeably with ‘biomass’ (since some biomass like wood and biochar can be burned as fuel), some agencies like the U.S. Energy&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/explainer-are-biofuels-finally-coming-of-age/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Increase in ethanol derived from feedstock could burden farms, groundwater</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/increase-in-ethanol-derived-from-feedstock-could-burden-farms-groundwater/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/increase-in-ethanol-derived-from-feedstock-could-burden-farms-groundwater/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>29 Mar 2022 13:59:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Kumar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CSTEP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethanol blending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NITI Aayog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SPRERI]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/03/29110050/A-farmer-ploughs-his-farmland-at-Baramati-a-sugarcane-rich-regions-of-Maharashtra.-Photo-by-Manish-Kumar-e1648542628472-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=17628</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Indian government recently claimed that it has achieved 9.45 percent ethanol blending with petrol, a practice which contributes to lower emissions and other environmental benefits. At this pace, the country is likely to reach a target of 10 percent ethanol blending by November 2022, the end of the ethanol supply year (ESY). The government [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[The Indian government recently claimed that it has achieved 9.45 percent ethanol blending with petrol, a practice which contributes to lower emissions and other environmental benefits. At this pace, the country is likely to reach a target of 10 percent ethanol blending by November 2022, the end of the ethanol supply year (ESY). The government is also confident of achieving its 2025 target of 20 percent blending of ethanol in petrol, that&#8217;s stated in the National Biofuel Policy 2018. India’s biofuel policy aims to reduce the country&#8217;s crude oil import bill, cut down emissions and move towards cleaner fuel. On March 25, the government told the parliament that 11 states/union territories have achieved the target of 10 percent blending. According to the data, the states which already exceeded the 10 percent blending targets include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Daman &amp; Diu &amp; Nagar Haveli. Ethanol is considered a renewable source of energy. It is derived either from feedstocks such as sugarcane juice or molasses, considered first-generation sources, or through the non-starch-based fibrous part of plant materials (lignocellulosic parts) which include paddy straws, bagasse, forest residues, and others. The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) in India started in 2003 with the target of five percent blending of ethanol in petrol in selected districts which was later expanded to more states in 2006. Ethanol is used for blending with petrol due to its characteristics which lead to benefits such as an increase in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/increase-in-ethanol-derived-from-feedstock-could-burden-farms-groundwater/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/increase-in-ethanol-derived-from-feedstock-could-burden-farms-groundwater/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Chhattisgarh plans biofuel production from paddy</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/07/chhattisgarh-plans-biofuel-production-from-paddy/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/07/chhattisgarh-plans-biofuel-production-from-paddy/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Jul 2021 10:55:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Deepanwita Gita Niyogi]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/07/28010348/Banner-image-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=14981</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Chhattisgarh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biofuels, and Clean Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh experimented with the idea of using jatropha seeds for biofuel production for years but the ambitious scheme failed due to various reasons including a shortage in seed supply. Putting that behind, the state, often considered as India’s &#8216;rice bowl&#8217;, is now planning to make biofuel from paddy. Chhattisgarh Chief [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh experimented with the idea of using jatropha seeds for biofuel production for years but the ambitious scheme failed due to various reasons including a shortage in seed supply. Putting that behind, the state, often considered as India’s &#8216;rice bowl&#8217;, is now planning to make biofuel from paddy. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel emphasised that even though jatropha was sown, production did not happen due to the lack of proper management and now paddy is being considered because it has several benefits. “We procure paddy from farmers. Wherever there are plants, farmers will supply paddy at those points directly. There will be no transportation cost involved. We have already got permission to make biofuel from maize and sugarcane. But the production of these crops is low. The state has decided to buy maize at an MSP so that farmers can be attracted and it can be used to make biofuel,” Baghel told Mongabay-India. Arun Prasad, who is the managing director of Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC), a nodal agency, for promoting industrial development in the state, said: “The state government has entered into a memorandum of understanding with seven private players. These companies are scouting for suitable lands around six rice hubs and trying to obtain environmental clearances in a few districts for setting up plants to produce biofuel.” Prasad stressed that the companies are interested in investing in Chhattisgarh because of the assured availability and supply of rice in the state. Biofuels are&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2021/07/chhattisgarh-plans-biofuel-production-from-paddy/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Government survey paints a different picture of Ujjwala scheme claims</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/01/government-survey-paints-a-different-picture-of-ujjwala-scheme-claims/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/01/government-survey-paints-a-different-picture-of-ujjwala-scheme-claims/?noamp=mobile#comments</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Jan 2021 13:54:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Air Pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pollution]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/01/22105718/A-vendor-carrying-LPG-cylinders-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=12998</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, and Health impacts]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Launched in 2016 to boost the usage of clean cooking fuels and control the related disease burden, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has claimed success with almost 98 percent coverage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in India. However, in the past five years, there has been only a 20 percent increase in the overall [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Launched in 2016 to boost the usage of clean cooking fuels and control the related disease burden, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has claimed success with almost 98 percent coverage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in India. However, in the past five years, there has been only a 20 percent increase in the overall usage of clean cooking fuel, reveals a latest government survey of 22 states. Additionally, it indicates, houses that have LPG cylinders, may not necessarily be using them. PMUY, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, became a flagship programme of the NDA government and is credited to help the party in several key elections. The government claims that LPG coverage (estimated on the basis of active domestic connections and estimated households) in the country is almost 98 percent &#8211; an increase from 56 percent in 2014-15. It also claims the programme as a social movement that has brought a sea change in women’s life by offering them a smokeless and hassle-free cooking option as well as a healthy lifestyle and empowering them financially. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-V), released last month, paints a different story. In the first round, the union government has released details of 22 states which show around a 20 percent increase in actual usage of clean cooking fuel from 2015-16 to 2019-20. In Bihar, for example, 37.8 percent of the households (urban and rural) use clean cooking fuel, notes the survey. In 2015-16, before the scheme was launched, around 17 percent&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2021/01/government-survey-paints-a-different-picture-of-ujjwala-scheme-claims/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/01/government-survey-paints-a-different-picture-of-ujjwala-scheme-claims/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Household air pollution: Empowering women could boost LPG adoption</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2020/09/household-air-pollution-empowering-women-could-boost-lpg-adoption/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2020/09/household-air-pollution-empowering-women-could-boost-lpg-adoption/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Sep 2020 14:53:56 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Neha Jain]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sandhya Sekar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2020/09/07225640/Woman-using-firewood-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=11264</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Environment And Health and Environment and Her]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution and Biofuels]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Household air pollution caused mainly by the burning of solid fuels, including biomass—firewood, charcoal, coal, dung, and agricultural waste—and ambient air pollution are among the leading risk factors contributing to disease burden in India. Consequently, promoting a shift towards cleaner cooking fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been a key focus of numerous [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Household air pollution caused mainly by the burning of solid fuels, including biomass—firewood, charcoal, coal, dung, and agricultural waste—and ambient air pollution are among the leading risk factors contributing to disease burden in India. Consequently, promoting a shift towards cleaner cooking fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been a key focus of numerous initiatives. Strides have been made in access to LPG, but many households still tend to use biomass for cooking and the practice of using multiple fuels, known as fuel stacking, is notable. Apart from cost concerns, socio-cultural influences have an impact on the adoption of LPG and reports have illuminated how household gender inequalities, disparities in the caste structure and social spillovers play a role. Researchers call for policies to be tailored towards empowering women, assisting marginalised castes, and leveraging the power of social interactions, which could expand the adoption of LPG, especially in rural communities. India’s government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 2016—the largest clean cooking energy programme of its kind—in a bid to protect the health of women and children. By subsidising connections and providing a loan for the cost of LPG adoption, the scheme has been pivotal in transforming access to LPG with over 80 million connections provided to poor households in 715 districts. LPG cylinders transported in Gaya, Bihar. Photo by Sasmita Patnaik/CEEW. Through the lens of gender  Several reports have unveiled how underlying gender inequalities within households are at play when it comes to deciding whether to switch to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2020/09/household-air-pollution-empowering-women-could-boost-lpg-adoption/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>[Commentary] Why the plane could, yet the country can’t, run on biofuel?</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2020/08/commentary-why-the-plane-could-yet-the-country-cant-run-on-biofuel/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2020/08/commentary-why-the-plane-could-yet-the-country-cant-run-on-biofuel/?noamp=mobile#comments</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Aug 2020 12:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Monika Mandal]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2020/08/05082224/BannerB-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=10683</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Eco Hope and Environomy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, Climate Change, Fossil Fuels, Pollution, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In August 2018, SpiceJet airline made history in the Indian transportation sector. A journey of about 285 kilometres from Dehradun (in Uttarakhand) to New Delhi was completed with a fuel which had its origins in the farms of Chhattisgarh. A successful flight of about 45 minutes added India in the list of few nations (like [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In August 2018, SpiceJet airline made history in the Indian transportation sector. A journey of about 285 kilometres from Dehradun (in Uttarakhand) to New Delhi was completed with a fuel which had its origins in the farms of Chhattisgarh. A successful flight of about 45 minutes added India in the list of few nations (like the US and Australia) who have used biofuel for flying airplanes. That flight did not only take 20 people to the sky but also inflated the hopes of the Indian biofuel sector.  Rapid urbanisation and an increasing population compel India to accommodate more vehicles on the roads, which indirectly means more crude oil imports and carbon emissions. India’s smart move to tackle this dual problem was to launch a policy which could reduce the crude oil import along with handling the environmental crisis. Biofuel, which is a mixture of ethanol (sourced from plants and other wastes) with petrol or diesel is much cheaper than unblended fuel and emits less carbon. The biofuel-propelled flight was not a sudden development. The history of ethanol production in India can be traced back to 1948, with the enactment of the Indian Power Alcohol Act. During the 1970s, research was conducted to find the feasibility of ethanol and in 2002, a notification mandated the blending of five percent ethanol with petrol by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in nine states and four union territories of the country. In 2008, the National Biofuel Policy (NBP) was adopted in an effective manner to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2020/08/commentary-why-the-plane-could-yet-the-country-cant-run-on-biofuel/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Less firewood at home means better health for the family</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2018/08/less-firewood-at-home-means-better-health-for-the-family/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2018/08/less-firewood-at-home-means-better-health-for-the-family/?noamp=mobile#comments</comments>
					<pubDate>30 Aug 2018 11:47:21 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Neha Jain]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sandhya Sekar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2018/08/29095620/6314806011_3c3535a00c_o-e1535518612875-768x476.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=2260</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Environment And Health]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, Carbon emissions, Fossil Fuels, Health impacts, and Industry]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[While air pollution in metropolitan cities like Delhi has hogged the headlines over the past few years, we don’t know much about how our emissions from various activities are affecting air quality throughout India. Now, a team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has estimated emissions of fine particulate matter, widely known [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[While air pollution in metropolitan cities like Delhi has hogged the headlines over the past few years, we don’t know much about how our emissions from various activities are affecting air quality throughout India. Now, a team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has estimated emissions of fine particulate matter, widely known as PM2.5, from various sectors at the state-level. PM2.5 refers to very fine particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs upon inhalation, potentially triggering various ailments, especially respiratory diseases. Their study revealed that barring a few cases, the share of residential emissions are the highest in most states &#8211; greater than the combined share of emissions from transport, industry, and energy. They concluded that most premature deaths due to PM2.5 in India can be reduced if a greater proportion of the population switches to clean fuels for cooking as opposed to solid fuels for domestic purposes. Dominick Spracklen, a professor at the University of Leeds, who published a similar study on ambient PM2.5 emissions over India in February 2018, said that “by using a model with much finer resolution than previous research, this important study confirms that cooking with solid fuels such as wood and charcoal is the dominant cause of poor air quality across most of India.” Burning solid fuel such as wood for cooking and other purposes is deteriorating the air quality across India. Photo from Pixabay. Modelling human sources of PM2.5 emissions over India Using a chemical transport&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2018/08/less-firewood-at-home-means-better-health-for-the-family/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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