Large-scale crop plantations are expanding at a rapid pace across southeast Asia, with multinational firms often benefiting the most at the expense of local communities and the environment, two U.N. rights experts warned on Wednesday.

Demand for agrofuels, such as those derived from sugar cane and palm oil, has boomed thanks in part to the United States, Europe and other rich economies seeking alternative ways to fuel their cars and homes in order to reduce their carbon emissions.

After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line.

The new facilities are designed to take biofuels beyond corn-based ethanol and begin to shift the industry to "advanced" fuels made with a lower carbon footprint derived from products that will not compete with demand for food.

After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line.

The new facilities are designed to take biofuels beyond corn-based ethanol and begin to shift the industry to "advanced" fuels made with a lower carbon footprint derived from products that will not compete with demand for food.

Husky Energy Inc said on Thursday it has begun operating a carbon-capture and storage facility at an ethanol manufacturing plant at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, and will use the gas to boost output from its heavy oil fields in the region.

Husky, controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing, said the project will capture 250 tonnes a day of carbon-dioxide produced during the ethanol fermentation process, liquefy it and then truck it to Husky's heavy oil fields, where it will be injected into the ground to boost production.

The Planning Commission hailed it as a future fuel and the industry projected it as a viable biofuel crop. But the Union Rural Development Ministry led by Jairam Ramesh feels otherwise. Citing negative reports, the Ministry has put on hold the Jatropha plantation programme for biofuel purpose. It has thus also put a question mark on the future of the proposed National Mission on biofuels.

The fund will go to joint research and development in solar energy, advanced biofuels and building energy efficiency
Hyderabad, May 9:

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has selected three consortia that will receive a grant of Rs 125 crore from the Centre. The funding will be over five years, under the Indo-US Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has selected three consortia that will receive a grant of Rs 125 crore from the Centre.

The funding will be over five years, under the Indo-US Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre.

The city-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) has been selected to be a part of a three-member consortia to conduct research in advanced biofuels and solar energy. The purpose: to reduce our heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

This Indo-US Joint Clean Energy Research Centre is a result of the Manmohan Singh-Barack Obama meet on ‘US India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy’ in November 2011.