Driving Global Bioenergy Innovation: Insights from Industry Leaders at TERI’s Workshop on Energy Transition

Caption: India-Netherlands Innovation Mission workshop on “Biorefineries, Bioenergy and Biochemicals”, held at TERI-GRAM on 15th October 2024.

The India-Netherlands Innovation Mission workshop on Biorefineries, Bioenergy and Biochemicals, held at TERI-GRAM on 15 October 2024, brought together leading experts from India and abroad to discuss advancements, challenges, and opportunities in bioenergy. The event highlighted the critical role of biofuels in achieving sustainable energy transitions through collaboration, innovation, and policy support.

Opening Remarks - Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI

Dr. Vibha Dhawan emphasized TERI’s commitment to sustainability through its green campus and pioneering innovations. She highlighted key technologies such as oil-degrading bacteria for sludge-to-soil conversion, mycorrhiza-based soil enhancers, and nano-fertilizers that significantly reduce urea use and emissions, showcasing TERI’s leadership in scalable, eco-friendly solutions.

Bioenergy & SAF Initiatives - Dr Balendra Singh, Scientist – D, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.

Dr. Balendra Singh outlined DBT’s expanding focus on bioenergy, particularly Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). He highlighted international collaborations with the USA, Brazil, and the Netherlands, including pilot-scale SAF projects such as biomass-based fuel flights. DBT is also advancing research on 2G, 3G, and future feedstocks through synthetic biology to support a circular bioeconomy.

Mission Innovation - Dr Kees Kwant

Dr. Kees Kwant presented the Mission Innovation program, a global initiative involving 23 countries to achieve net-zero emissions. India and the Netherlands co-lead the Integrated Biorefineries Mission, focusing on biomass conversion through R&D, pilot projects, and policy support. International collaboration across diverse feedstocks is key to accelerating commercialization.

India-Netherlands Collaboration - Dr Dhoya Snijders

Dr. Dhoya Snijders highlighted ongoing bilateral efforts in bioenergy, including joint research, funding initiatives, and innovation missions. She noted successful collaborations such as green hydrogen projects with TERI and upcoming white papers and funding calls to strengthen partnerships in biorefineries and bio-based materials.

TERI’s Biofuel Innovations – Dr Sanjukta Subudhi, Associate Director, Advanced Biofuels Division, TERI

Dr. Sanjukta Subudhi shared TERI’s advancements across 1G, 2G, and 3G biofuels, including biohydrogen, bioethanol, and biomethane. She highlighted large-scale marine algae cultivation (up to 100,000 L), integrated biorefinery approaches, and progress toward commercialization (TRL 6–7) through collaborations with government and industry.

Industry Perspectives - Dutch Delegation

Industry experts including Achim Eberspacher and Coen Faber emphasized the shift toward high-value carbon applications such as SAF and renewable fuels. Lisanne Brummelhuis highlighted the importance of regulatory frameworks to support international collaboration and scale bio-based solutions.

Conclusion

The workshop underscored the importance of global partnerships in advancing bioenergy innovation. With strong policy support, technological advancements, and collaborative efforts, India and the Netherlands are driving progress toward a sustainable, bio-based energy future.