Development of Biofuels for the Indian Transport Sector:

A Precursor to the Global Biofuel Alliance Launched During the G20 New Delhi Summit

Abstract

The Indian government (GoI) during the G20 New Delhi Summit launched the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA). The stated aim of this global alliance is to mainstream the utilisation of biofuels as alternatives to petroleum products for the global transport sector demand for final energy. To put the announcement of the GBA in a proper perspective, it is imperative to contextualise the GoI’s initiatives from time-to-time to develop biofuels as alternative transport fuels. This study provides a comprehensive coverage of the various interventions in India by the central and state governments over the last two decades. Finally, it concludes that the recent achievements in biofuel development in the Indian context have resulted from concerted efforts for nearly two decades and represents a classic case of adopting the public policy stance of learning by doing.