1. Current Biomass Usage:
o Renewables constitute 22% of India’s total energy supply as of 2019.
o The share of renewable energy in final energy consumption stands at 31%.
o Approximately 85% of renewable energy comes from biomass.
o Traditional biomass use for residential heating (such as wood) is gradually declining, replaced by oil and gas.
o Modern biomass utilization for power production is on the rise.
o Biofuels in transport remain modest, accounting for less than 1% of transport fuels. The focus is primarily on bioethanol.
o Opportunities exist for replacing coal with solid biomass, adopting less polluting forms of bioenergy, and increasing transport biofuels using domestically available agricultural residues.
2. Future Prospects:
o India aims to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total capacity to 40% by 2030.
o The country produces around 450-500 million tonnes of biomass annually.
o Key opportunities include:
Replacing coal with solid biomass in existing assets.
Transitioning from traditional to modern bioenergy.
Expanding transport biofuels based on domestic agricultural residues.
Leveraging (renewable) energy from municipal solid waste as part of waste management systems.
In summary, India’s bioenergy journey holds promise for sustainable energy solutions, reduced emissions, and enhanced energy security. 🌱🔥🇮🇳
