Curtain Raiser for IBETE 2025 Sets the Stage for India’s Bioenergy Push

The curtain raiser for the 2nd edition of the India Bioenergy & Tech Expo (IBETE 2025) was held on April 23, 2025, in New Delhi, setting the stage for a landmark event in India’s clean energy journey. Jointly organized by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE) and MM Activ SciTech Communications, the event underscored the theme: “Transition to Net Zero: Need to Scale Up Bio-energy Initiatives.” The main expo is scheduled for September 24–26, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

Chief Guest, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, emphasized the importance of bioenergy in India’s transition to a green economy. He said that biofuels are the future of clean energy. With proven technology, viable economics, available feedstock, and strong market potential, the time to act is now. He stressed the need to focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), isobutanol, marine fuels, green hydrogen, and energy crops, and called for building a 50-year vision for a bio-based economy.

Delivering the keynote address, former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu called for increased investment, robust policy frameworks, and innovation to position India as a global leader in clean energy. He noted that IBETE 2025 would serve as a critical platform to catalyze this transformation. “Bioenergy offers a unique opportunity to align India’s growth with its net-zero goals,” he said.

A major highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IFGE and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd (NFCSF) to collaborate on promoting sugarcane-based bioenergy and sustainable practices across the country. The MoU was signed by Prakash Naiknavare, MD, NFCSF and Atul Mulay, Chairman, BioEnergy Committee of IFGE & President (Bio Energy), Praj Industries, in the presence of Harshvardhan Patil, President, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. and Ravi Gupta, Chairperson, IFGE Sugar & Bio Energy Forum & Executive Director, Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd. 

The collaboration aims to foster innovation, policy advocacy and the adoption of green energy solutions, leveraging the strengths of both organizations. While NFCSF brings decades of experience and reach within the cooperative sugar sector, IFGE offers a strong platform for driving green energy initiatives across industries.

The event also witnessed the launch of the inaugural issue of Bharat Bioenergy Horizon, IFGE’s quarterly magazine, released by Nitin Gadkari. The magazine will serve as a dedicated platform to promote thought leadership and policy discourse in the bioenergy sector.

The session was moderated by Sanjay Ganjoo, Director General, IFGE. Discussions spanned key bioenergy sectors including Compressed Biogas (CBG), Ethanol, Biodiesel, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), and Densified Biomass. Minister Gadkari also engaged with industry leaders and stakeholders, listening to their suggestions to help shape the future of India’s green energy landscape.

The event drew over 300 stakeholders from government, industry, academia, media, and civil society. Distinguished attendees included Dr. Bhagwat Karad, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and former MoS, Ministry of Finance; Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark to India; Anna Sahab M. K. Patil, Chairman, IFGE and former Rural Development Minister; Y.B. Ramakrishna, Senior Vice President, IFGE; Sanjay Bandyopadhyay, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, IFGE: GTMC; Atul Mulay, Chairman, Bioenergy Committee, IFGE & President – Bioenergy, Praj Industries; Dr. SSV Ramakumar, Chairperson, IFGE: SAFF & EVP & CTO, Greenko/AM Green; Deepak Balani, DG, ISMA; Varun Karad, CEO, REnergy Dynamics; Vijay Nirani, MD, Trualt Bioenergy; S.N. Yadav, Executive Director (CBG), GAIL (India) Ltd; Dr. Ajit Kumar Thakur, Executive Director (Alternate Energy), IOCL; and Ravindra Boratkar, Founder Member, IFGE & Managing Director, MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications Pvt. Ltd., among others.

IBETE 2025 is poised to be a game-changing platform for innovation, investment, and policy advancement in the bioenergy sector. With over 1,000 national and international participants expected, the expo will feature conferences and exhibitions showcasing cutting-edge green technologies, while fostering public-private partnerships to strengthen India’s clean energy roadmap.