Global Biofuel Alliance | GBA was officially unveiled and launched during the G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9, 2023. Countries such as India, USA, China, Brazil, Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, Argentina, Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates launched GBA.
Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) is an initiative by India as the G20 Chair and seeks to develop an alliance of governments, international organizations, and industry to facilitate the adoption of biofuels.
India, which is one of the largest producers and consumers of bioethanol in the world, initiated the Alliance creation. In 2022, the country produced 8.5 billion liters of bioethanol, which is about 10% of global production.
GBA Members constitute both major producers and consumers of biofuels – combined, the United States (52 percent), Brazil (30 percent), and India (3 percent), account for about 85 percent of production and about 81 percent of consumption of ethanol.
Alliance goals
The Alliance intends to expedite the global uptake of biofuels by facilitating technology advancements, intensifying the utilization of sustainable biofuels, and shaping robust standard setting and certification through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
The members of the Alliance have plans to increase the production and use of bioethanol and other biofuels, including biodiesel and biogas, as well as promote the development of technologies that will help make bioenergy more affordable and competitive. In addition, steps have been announced to develop the agricultural sector, which is a key source of raw materials for bioenergy worldwide.
Cooperation will be carried out in the following areas:
- Development of standards and regulations for bioenergy.
- Research and development of new bioenergy technologies.
- Promotion of bioenergy on international markets.
Bringing together the biggest consumers and producers of biofuels to drive biofuel development and deployment, the initiative aims to position biofuels as a key to energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth.
The Alliance will also be a scientific and expert center where knowledge and advanced developments will be accumulated.
Plans for the biofuel production
According to a statement, the global ethanol market was valued at US$99.06 billion in 2022 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.1 percent by 2032 and surpass US$162.12 billion by 2032.
GBA aims to produce 100 billion liters of bioethanol by 2030.
Alliance expansion
At the launch in New Dehli, 19 countries and 12 international organizations have already agreed to join the GBA.
The countries comprise G20 Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, Italy, South Africa, and the United States; G20 Invitee Countries: Bangladesh, Mauritius, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates; Non-G20 Countries: Finland, Iceland, Kenya, Guyana, Paraguay, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.
International organizations comprise the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Economic Forum, World LPG Organization, UN-Energy for All, UNIDO, Biofutures Platform, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Energy Agency (IEA), International Energy Forum, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), World Biogas Association.
Source: Bioenergy International.