India seeking to monetize 600 million tons of biomass annually for energy security

In India, the petroleum and natural gas minister said during the 2nd Annual India Leadership Summit of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum that the government is focusing on how to monetize the country’s 600 million metric tons of non-fossilized biomass through bioenergy. The country has significantly increased its imports of petroleum and natural gas from the US in an effort to ease its dependence on the Middle East but continues to see biofuels as another way to increase its energy security. Biofuel blending is seen at 6% this year compared to 1% in 2015.