Challenges of Bio-Energy
- Financial Difficulties: To meet the need of developing the renewable industry, there are some budgetary restrictions, such as money allocation and late budget releases. The developers face financial obstacles as a result of ambiguities around the estimation of resources, a lack of technological awareness, and high risk perceptions.
- Technical Difficulties: A renewable energy project adds to complicated risk issues brought on by the environment, natural disasters, planning, equipment failure, and lost revenue. Regarding testing facilities, referral organisations, review mechanisms, inspection, and monitoring, there is no specific document.
- Renewable energy R&D facilities are few in number.
- Policy Obstacles:There is no comprehensive policy declaration (regulatory framework) for the renewable energy industry. Poor inter-institutional coordination is displayed by institutions, agencies, and stakeholders.
- Institutional Difficulties: Because it takes longer for projects to receive clearances, the single window project approval and clearance system is not particularly helpful and unstable. There are no suitable or established research facilities accessible for the creation of renewable infrastructure.
- The government’s emphasis on creating bio-fuels from non-feed stocks “grown on degraded land or wasteland that are not suitable for agriculture” sets India’s biofuel program apart from that of other nations.
Bioenergy for Sustainable Development
The term “Bioenergy” refers to energy and energy-related goods (such pellets) made from biomass. Organic material from plants and waste streams is known as biomass. Diverse fuels that can be used in the production of electricity, heating systems, and/or transportation are referred to as bioenergy. By lowering greenhouse gas emissions, Bioenergy helps to combat climate change. Bioenergy has assisted in the growth of regional economies over the past few decades and in numerous nations, all while reducing the need for foreign imports of fossil fuels. The utilization of bioenergy resources can help reduce GHG emissions if they are produced sustainably. Over 300 biomass power and co-generation units totaling 3700 MW have been built in the country to deliver electricity to the grid. In addition, 30 biomass power plants with a combined capacity of around 350MW are in various stages of construction. In terms of biomass power plants, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have taken the lead.
The Ministry of Science and Technology’s Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) introduced the National Mission on Bio-economy in Shillong, Meghalaya. South-east Asia is the only region with the mission, and India is now one of the few nations that have tapped bio-resources, which, when used well, may provide a significant number of jobs at the village level. The mission’s goal is to use bio-resources to strengthen rural economies and generate a significant amount of jobs at the village level. Through a knowledge-based approach, it also emphasizes the sustainable usage of biological resources that are renewable for food, bio-energy, and bio-based goods.