ICGEB Celebrates World Biofuel Day with Focus on Advanced Biofuels and Carbon Capture Technologies

New Delhi: The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) marked World Biofuel Day with a special event at its New Delhi campus, spotlighting the latest advancements in biofuels and carbon capture technologies. The gathering brought together students, researchers, and experts to explore the role of advanced biofuels in achieving global and national Net Zero CO2 emission targets.

The event featured a keynote address by the Chief Guest, Ramakrishna YB, Former Chairperson of the Working Group on Biofuels under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG), Government of India, and current Member Expert of the same working group. His presentation, titled “Emerging Policy Ecosystem in India for Advanced Biofuels and Opportunities Towards Achieving Net Zero by 2070,” provided insights into India’s evolving biofuel policies and the sector’s potential to contribute to the country’s ambitious climate goals.

“The biofuel sector has immense potential, surpassing even the agriculture sector in scale. However, it requires extensive research and development to overcome technical and economic barriers, making it commercially viable and unlocking its vast opportunities for sustainable energy production,” said Ramakrishna YB.

In addition to his address, Ramakrishna YB unveiled two short films produced by ICGEB, highlighting the institution’s research in biofuels and carbon capture. The first film, “Building a Greener Future: The Carbon Quest,” focused on cutting-edge research in carbon capture, showcasing the potential of these technologies to create a sustainable future. The second film, “Building a Greener Future: Biomass to Biofuels,” illustrated ICGEB’s efforts in converting biomass into biofuels, an area of research that holds significant promise for reducing carbon emissions.

Students from three premier colleges of Delhi University and two Kendriya Vidyalaya schools participated in the event, gaining a unique opportunity to interact with leading scientists at ICGEB. These interaction sessions aimed to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists about ongoing research in biofuels and carbon capture.

Additionally, live demonstrations from various ICGEB labs provided the students with hands-on experiences, showcasing the practical aspects of biofuel production and carbon capture technologies. These demonstrations offered a deeper understanding of the scientific processes involved in these critical areas of research.

ICGEB’s celebration of World Biofuel Day 2024 underscored its commitment to advancing research in sustainable energy and its efforts to engage and inspire young minds in the quest for a greener future.