BiofuelCircle, PKC to provide non-agri biofuel sources to industry

BiofuelCircle has signed an agreement with Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC) to provide access to non-agricultural sources of biofuels to industries.

BiofuelCircle is the first digital marketplace for biomass and biofuels, while PKC is one of six science & technology clusters established by the office of the principal scientific adviser to the Government of India under The City Knowledge and Innovation Cluster Initiative.

In a statement, BiofuelCircle said it "has signed an MoU with PKC for innovating alternatives to agri residue-based bio-energy. The objective is to develop projects that provide industries with access to non-agricultural sources of biofuels as alternatives."

The initiative will augment the current sources of biofuels and help boost rural economy, rejuvenate degraded land and be an important step towards energy independence of the country, it said.

As part of the agreement, the two organisations will work together towards setting up projects with large industrial houses of India.

Companies that currently procure their biofuels on the BiofuelCircle platform will benefit from such projects as this will add new sources to the regular supply of agri residue-based biofuels, such as briquettes and pellets.

Tushar Lowalekar, founding member, BiofuelCircle, said, "Apart from the increased supply of biofuels, the other objectives are utilisation of degraded land and increasing the incomes of the people dependent on that land. All in all, it's a win-win for both industries and the people dependent on the land and an important step towards the energy security of the country."

Priya Nagaraj, CEO, Pune Knowledge Cluster, said, "Growing biomass on degraded lands would ensure sustainable supply (both quality and quantity) of raw materials to the industry and significantly contribute to climate change mitigation (addressing both emissions and sequestration) and adaptation.