Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Apr 4: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today launched a major futuristic “Clean Energy” initiative in PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode with the full launch of “Mission Integrated Bio-refineries” to accelerate Clean Energy solutions through Public -Private Alliances.
After launching the Mission, Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated India’s commitment to a low-carbon future through “Mission Innovation”, centred on technology advancement and cooperation, zero waste bio-refinery for cost effective production of sustainable bio-fuels with co-production of bio-based chemicals and materials, using bio-technological interventions.
He said, the Mission Integrated Bio-refineries unites a dynamic and results-oriented partnership of countries, international organizations, the corporate sector, academic institutions and civil society to accelerate innovation for renewable fuels, chemicals, and materials for a low- carbon future.
The Minister also announced the National Funding Opportunity on Sustainable Aviation Fuels to support and conduct RD&D (Research, Development & Demonstration) to foster bio- technological innovations for low carbon pathways for cleaner biofuels for aviation applications.
Dr Jitendra Singh announced the funding opportunity of Hydrogen Valley Platform, which is also a global initiative to optimise the hydrogen demand and supply by onsite generation and utilization, utilize the renewable resources effectively, and water excess areas with geographical identity.
Dr Jitendra Singh also launched three Material Acceleration Platforms (MAP) set up by Department of Science and Technology (DST) on Integrated Clean Energy Material Acceleration Platform on Storage, Integrated Clean Energy Material Acceleration Platform on Materials and Integrated Clean Energy Material Acceleration Platform on Bioenergy and Hydrogen with a total cost of $ 6 Million USD. He enumerated that these platforms would leverage emerging capabilities in next-generation computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and robotics to accelerate the pace of materials discovery up to 10 times faster.
Dr Jitendra Singh also announced ‘National Funding Opportunity on Sustainable Aviation Fuels’ to support and conduct RD&D to foster technological innovations in advanced biofuels for aviation applications. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits applications from principal investigators (PI) from Indian institutions to advance science and technology critical to understanding critical gap areas, technological innovations for advanced bio-jet fuels, and globally acceptable cost-effective business model(s).
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that Department of Biotechnology has initiated programme to tackle micro-plastic pollution and alternatives to single use plastic using biotechnological interventions and to development and demonstration of bio refinery technologies must be at the forefront of our efforts to create a low-carbon future that is sustainable for society’s well-being as well as environmentally friendly.
The Minister emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi accords high importance to Science and technology and is committed to address the challenges facing the country through tools and techniques that the S&T offers.
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