Towards A Greener Tomorrow: White Paper on Indo-Dutch Opportunities for the Biotransition
The shift to a sustainable and low-carbon future is imperative as global temperatures have risen above a critical point. Therefore, switching to alternative renewable energy sources is essential to address climate security concerns and meet the growing energy demand. Bio-based resources are renewable and have great potential for achieving the decarbonization goal. We call this the biotransition, which refers to the shift from a fossil-based economy to biobased economy that places a strong emphasis on using biological resources. The term bioeconomy hereby refers to economic activities that leverage biological resources such as microbes, plants, and animals, as well as bioprocesses for the sustainable production of food, energy, chemicals, materials and contribute significantly to drive the economic growth of a nation.
India's emphasis on biotransition stems from its aspirational objectives for climate action and sustainable growth. To increase the nation's bioeconomy target, India has set an ambitious biotransition goal that calls for the use of bio-based resources to produce bioenergy, biochemicals, and bio-based products & commodities. India has a great volume of unused residues to reduce carbon emissions, promote energy independence, and boost rural economies. India's commitment to promote bioenergy, biochemicals, and bio-commodities is demonstrated by a number of policy frameworks, including the Bio-E3 policy and Bio-RIDE schemes, the National Biofuel Policy, Ethanol Blending Programme, the SATAT Scheme, and the Green Hydrogen Mission Programme.
Incorporating insights from the India-Netherlands joint Innovation Mission workshop and Indo-Dutch Tech Summit, which were held in New Delhi, India, this report outlines the current state of bioeconomy policy and growth projections for both India and the Netherlands. With an emphasis on bioenergy, biochemicals, and bio-based materials, this study examines the prospects and synergies between India and the Netherlands in the bioeconomy sector.