By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has taken a significant step toward promoting sustainable energy solutions by becoming a founding member of the Global Biofuel Alliance.
The Cabinet of Ministers this week approved the proposal presented by the Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, solidifying Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing bio-fuel adoption and cooperation on a global scale.
The alliance aims to foster collaboration among leading bio-fuel producers and consumers, including countries such as Brazil, India, the United States, and other interested nations. By joining forces, these countries seek to promote the sustainable use of biofuels, especially in the transportation and energy sectors.
The announcement was made during the India Energy Week in February 2023, where India, as the current G20 Presidency, unveiled plans to establish a global bio-fuels alliance.
India, as the driving force behind the alliance, seeks the participation of all nations to join this collaborative initiative. Sri Lanka was also extended an invitation to sign the founding document and become a founding member of the Global Biofuel Alliance.
This membership solidifies Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and demonstrates the country’s dedication to environmental stewardship.
“This will be a great stepping stone for Sri Lanka in diversifying its energy sources, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.
It will also help the electricity users to move into cleaner energy and bring down their bills,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing.
The Global Bio-fuel Alliance aspires to create a platform for knowledge-sharing, market development, and the exchange of best practices in biofuel production and utilisation.
The alliance will facilitate global biofuel trade, encourage the development of optimal policies, and provide technical assistance to nations seeking to implement biofuel practices.
By working together, member countries will accelerate the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change.
India launched the Global Biofuel Alliance, an ambitious initiative aimed at fostering international collaboration and accelerating the development and adoption of biofuels.
The official announcement of this groundbreaking alliance came during the Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting in Goa on July 22, 2023, with a formal launch planned at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in September this year. Nineteen countries including Sri Lanka are standing with India on this.
Having achieved its 10 percent ethanol blending target, also known as E10, five months ahead of schedule in June 2022, India now sets its sights on an even more ambitious objective: achieving a 20 percent blend, or E20, by the end of 2025.
Ethanol is a vital biofuel and plays a pivotal role in reducing India’s dependence on fossil fuels while curbing carbon emissions and air pollution.
