Ocean Technology, Fuel Cells, Biopiracy,

Science and Governance By Dr. Roman Saini

Ocean Technology

● Ocean resources are abundant and it is imperative for the mankind to depend on these resources in the near future.

● In the areas of ocean surrounding India, the present extent of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is 2.02 million sq. km.

● This large area of EEZ has a vast potential of variety of resources, both living and non-living, which can substantially contribute to the augmentation of societal benefits as well as help the economic development of the country.

● To harness this potential, ocean technologies need to be developed to an advanced level and new innovations in these areas are required.

Ocean Observation System (OOS)

● The OOS, erstwhile National Data Buoy Programme, was established in 1996, with the objective to operate, maintain and develop moored buoy observational networks and related telecommunication facilities in the Indian seas.

● Later, OOS has inherited lead responsibility for a number of important and well-established observational programmes in the northern Indian Ocean.

● Moored buoys (ships can be moored in the deep oceanic areas) have revolutionized the observing system capabilities and made a global system possible.

● At present, in-situ observations are very important as a complement to satellite-based observations.

● Presently, OOS has established sustained moored buoy network for oceanographic, marine meteorological and tsunami warning applications.

● Moored Data Buoys are offshore floating platforms, fitted with meteorological and oceanographic sensors, moored at specific locations to observe in situ metocean data at regular intervals.

● The observed data is then transmitted through satellites along with location reference, in synoptic hours, to the state-of-the-art shore station facility at NIOT, Chennai.

● The next generation of buoy systems called OMNI Ocean Moored buoys in the Northern Indian Ocean are equipped with high-tech sensors to measure ocean currents, conductivity, and temperature up to 500m depth along with solar radiation, precipitation and transmit data in real time through satellite.

● As challenges arise in the form of natural disasters, OOS is now entrusted to deploy buoys capable of reporting water level for Tsunami Early Warning System.

Deep Sea Mining

● The deep ocean has abundant mineral resources like polymetallic nodules, cobalt rich manganese crust and hydrothermal deposits.

● Utilising this mineral wealth for the benefit of mankind through the latest technologies will be the focus of ocean mining activities in the near future.

● Polymetallic nodules have economically valuable metals such as Copper, Cobalt, Nickel and Manganese in them and are viewed as potential resources to take care of the depleting land resources and increasing demand for these metals.

● There are 380 million tons of nodules in the retained Indian Pioneer area.

● India has a status of Pioneer Investor and has been allotted a site in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration and technology development for polymetallic nodule mining.

Gas Hydrates

● Gas hydrates are crystalline combinations of a natural gas and water (known technically as a clathrate) which looks remarkably like ice but burns if it meets a lit match.

● Energy in the gas hydrates amount to twice as much as all fossil fuels combined.

● Gas hydrates are estimated to contribute a very large amount of methane, a potential clear hydrocarbon fuel resource.

● At present, our physical, chemical, geological and geotechnical knowledge is too limited to predict about possible exploration and unwanted environmental consequences of gas hydrate production.

Submersible

● The Submersible is equipped with multifunctional tools and sensors for offshore applications such as ○ Deep ocean mineral exploration, ○ Seabed imaging, ○ Gas hydrate exploration, ○ Pipeline routing, ○ Submarine cabling, ○ Well head detections, ○ Sampling etc.

Vessel Management Cell● The main function of Vessel Management Cell (VMC) is the Operation,

Maintenance and Management of vessels such as Coastal Research Vessels (CRV) Sagar Purvi and Sagar Paschimi, Buoy Tendering Vessel (BTV) Sagar Manjusha and Oceanographic Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Nidhi.

● Other major activities of VMC are

○ Procurement of onboard equipments and spares,

○ Dry-dock and other ship repairs,

○ Preparation for all cruises including Southern Ocean Expedition and coordination with the team till end of cruise through offshore and onshore support for both scientific and ship team.

● The Vessel Management Cell is providing research vessels to the user research institutes and organizations under MoES for the successful implementation of Ocean related programs.

● The two coastal research vessels "Sagar Purvi" and "Paschimi" are used for the implementation of the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) and Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM) programs and to provide services to the other agencies like Universities and Research Institutes for surveys and data collection.

● The Buoy Tender Vessel "Sagar Manjusha" is involved in the ocean observation program and other projects.

● The Technology Demonstration Vessel "Sagar Nidhi" is catering to the ongoing and the new programs of the MoES such as

○ Deep Sea Mining,

○ Remotely Operable Vehicle,

○ Autonomous Underwater Vehicle supporting the Underwater Observations Systems and Instruments,

○ Surveys to support the Technology Demonstration Programs and

○ To act as support platform for the various research activities planned by the Ministry.

Sagar Tara and Sagar Anveshika

● Sagar Tara and Sagar Anveshika are coastal research vehicles launched recently in August 2019 by the only private shipyard for National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

● These new ships are proposed to be utilized for shallow water operations along the entire Indian coast for the various programmes of MoES and will be a National facility for ocean research.

● These ships are versatile ocean observing platforms equipped with advanced scientific equipment and mechanical handling equipment for oceanic survey, observations and explorations.

Marine sensors & Ocean Acoustics

● Since electromagnetic waves propagate very poorly in sea water; soundwaves provide the most efficient means of probing below the sea surface.

● Sound transports across ocean waters and into the depths, allowing to examine, record, and analyze their mysteries.

● Sensors form the heart of any oceanographic instruments and Sonar.

● Development of sensors such as underwater acoustic transducers, biosensors, buried-object detection systems will help India in bridging the technological gap with the developed countries.

● Acoustics is the only efficient mode of communication in underwater, research, development and implementation in key areas of underwater acoustics such as

○ ambient noise measurement,

○ analysis, characterization and modeling,

○ acoustic vector sensor,

○ seabed classification/characterization,

○ underwater signal processing algorithms for shallow water applications etc.

Ocean Energy

● The main forms of ocean energy are waves, thermal energy and ocean currents.

● India, being a tropical country, has a constant difference in temperature between surface water and the deep ocean.

● This gradient can be used to generate power at a large scale.

● The acute shortage of power faced by the country can be reduced by these technologies.

● Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy declared Ocean Energy as renewable energy.

● This was done in the backdrop of applications being received for projects in the field of ocean energy who wanted to know the status of ocean energy.

● This declaration makes ocean energy eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).

● RPO is a mechanism by which the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions are obliged to purchase a certain percentage of power from renewable energy sources.

● According to the Power Ministry, as of date, there is not any installed Ocean Energy capacity in India.

According to MNRE,

● The total identified potential of tidal energy is about 12,455 MW, with potential locations identified at Khambat & Kutch regions, and large backwaters, where barrage technology could be used.

● The total theoretical potential of wave energy in India along the country’s coast is estimated to be about 40,000 MW (preliminary estimates). This energy is however less intensive than what is available in more northern and southern latitudes.

● Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) has a theoretical potential of 180,000 MW in India subject to suitable technological evolution.

Tidal energy

● Tidal energy or tidal power is a form of renewable energy obtained due to alternating sea levels.

● The kinetic energy from the natural rise and fall of tides is harnessed and converted into electricity.

● Tides are caused by the combined gravitational forces of the moon, sun, and the earth.

● However, tides are influenced the most by the moon. The moon’s gravitational force is so strong that it tugs the ocean into a bulge.

● The high and low tides create tidal currents, which are essential in generation of this kind of energy mostly prevalent in coastal areas.

● Tidal energy generation plants are most commonly installed along coastlines although offshore plants are increasingly becoming popular.

● Coastlines are preferred because they receive 2 high tides and 2 low tides every single day.

● To generate electricity, the disparity in water levels must be at least 5 meters.

● Tidal power has a great potential in future as tides can be much more accurately predicted than wind or sun and due to the massive size of oceans.

● Though it is available in plenty, harnessing tidal energy is not that easy. It suffers from limitations like huge investment and limited availability of sites from where it can be captured.

Tidal Technologies

Tidal energy is converted into electricity using three main tidal technologies:

1. Tidal Turbines

● Tidal turbines utilize the same technology of wind turbines.

● The only difference is that the blades of tidal turbines are way stronger and shorter.

● So, the best way to compare tidal turbines is underwater windmills.

● Ideally, the water currents turn the turbine.

● The turbine is connected to a generator through a shaft.

● So, when the turbine turns, the shaft also turns. The turning shaft activates a generator, which generates electricity.

2. Tidal Barrages

● Tidal Barrages are the most efficient tidal energy technologies.

● They resemble dams used in hydropower plants. The difference is that they are bigger in size as they are constructed across a Bay or an Estuary.

● For the barrage to be able to produce power, the tidal range (the difference between low and high tide) has to be more than 5 meters.

● As the tide enters the system, ocean or sea water flows via the dam into the basin.

● When the tides subside, the system’s gates close, trapping the water in the estuary or basin.

● When the tides start to move out, the gates in the dam that consist of turbines, open up, and water begins to flow out hitting the turbines, which eventually turn to produce energy.

● Construction of tidal barrages involves high upfront capital costs.

● Additionally, they have devastating effects on the local environment.

3. Tidal lagoons:

● Tidal lagoon is a power station separated from the rest of the ocean or sea.

● Its functionality is similar to a tidal barrage since the lagoon completely fills up when the tide goes up.

● When the tide subsides, the water is allowed to drain out through an opening consisting of turbines.

● The outward flow of water turns the turbine, which generates energy.

● It does not involve a lot of initial capital outlay and it is friendly to the environment.

Advantages of Tidal Energy● The fact that tidal energy technologies are installed on the coastlines and

offshore makes them good for the environment since land will not be interfered with.

● Also, tidal energy is a clean source of energy that doesn’t release any greenhouses gases to the atmosphere.

● It is a renewable energy source.

● Tidal generation is a natural process that occurs every single day.

● This means that tides will continue to occur and production of tidal energy will continue until the end of time.

● Development of tides is a well-understood cycle. This makes it a lot easier to develop tidal energy systems with the right dimensions.

● Tidal energy technologies once constructed have the potential to generate electricity for many years, which means they are long lasting.

● Although the upfront costs of setting up a tidal power plant are relatively high, the return on investment will be realized in the long run.

● Barrages and dams that are utilized to tap tidal energy for the generation of electricity could insulate coastal areas and ship ports from high impact and dangerous tides in the course of bad weather and storms.

Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

● High upfront capital costs - the costs of infrastructure are relatively high at the moment.

● Tidal barrages depend on manipulation of sea levels - they have the same environmental impacts as hydroelectric dams.

● Generation of tidal electricity wholly depends on tidal surges, which happen twice a day. This means, when tides are not happening, there is no production of energy, which is why extra costs must be incurred to set up energy storage systems.

● Tidal power plants need a lot of time to be able to produce electricity efficiently.

● This aspect combined with cost of installation can be unsustainable.

● The greatest fear among tidal energy systems developers is the impact the plants and turbines will have on the surrounding marine ecosystem.

● The rotation of turbines and vibrations of the tidal plant could significantly interrupt marine ecosystem and inhibit natural movement of marine life.

Future of Tidal Energy

● Although tidal energy technology is still in its infancy stage, the grave impacts of fossil fuels and the fear of them running out some day means a lot of time and resources will be dedicated towards generation of tidal energy.

● Even though other renewable and green sources of energy such as the sun, wind and geothermal are way ahead, tidal is fast catching up with the pack.

● Tidal energy is seen as the next big thing once its technology becomes a lot better.

Wave energy

● Wave Energy is another type of ocean based renewable energy source that uses the power of the waves to generate electricity.

● Unlike tidal energy which uses the ebb and flow of the tides, wave energy uses the vertical movement of the surface water that produce tidal waves.

● As the sun's rays strike the Earth’s atmosphere, they warm it up.

● Differences in the temperature of the air masses around the globe causes the air to move from the hotter regions to the cooler regions, resulting in winds.

● As the wind passes over the surface of the oceans, a portion of the winds kinetic energy is transferred to the water below, generating waves.

● Wave energy is actually a concentrated form of solar power generated by the action of the wind blowing across the surface of the oceans water which can then be used as a renewable source of energy.

● Wave power converts the periodic up-and-down movement of the ocean waves into electricity by placing equipment on the surface of the oceans that captures the energy produced by the wave movement and converts this mechanical energy into electrical power.

● Waves are actually a form of energy and it is this energy and not water that moves along the ocean’s surface.

● Waves travel long distances across the open oceans with very little loss in energy.

● As they approach the shoreline and the depth of the water becomes shallower, their speed slows down but they increase in size.

● Finally, the wave crashes onto the shoreline, releasing an enormous amount of kinetic energy which can be used for electricity production.

● The two main factors which affect the size of the wave energy are the wind strength and the uninterrupted distance over the sea that the wind can blow.

● In many respects, the technology used for capturing wave energy is similar to tidal energy or hydroelectric power.

● The kinetic energy of the wave turns a turbine attached to a generator, which produces electricity.

Advantages of Wave Energy

● Abundant and renewable energy resource.

● Pollution free compared to other green energies.

● Reduces dependency on fossil fuels as wave energy consumes no fossil fuels during operation.

● Relatively consistent and predictable as waves can be accurately forecast several days in advance.

● Protects the shoreline from coastal erosion.

● Presents no barriers or difficulty to migrating fish and aquatic animals.

Disadvantages of Wave Energy● Wave energy conversion devices are location dependent requiring suitable

sites where the waves are consistently strong.

● Intermittent power generation as the waves come in intervals and does not generate power during calm periods.

● Offshore wave energy devices can be a threat to navigation that cannot see or detect them by radar.

● High power distribution costs to send the generated power from offshore devices to the land using long underwater cables.

● They must be able to withstand forces of nature resulting in high capital, construction and maintenance costs.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

● It makes use of the temperature differential between the warm surface waters of the oceans, heated by solar radiation, and the deeper cold waters to generate power in a conventional heat engine.

● The difference in temperature between the surface and the lower water layer can be as large as 50°C.

● To be economically practical, the temperature differential should be at least 20°C (36°F) in the first 1,000 metres (about 3,300 feet) below the surface.

● Heat transferred from the warm surface ocean water causes a working fluid/refrigerator to vaporize through a heat exchanger.

● The vapour then expands under moderate pressures, turning a turbine connected to a generator and thereby producing electricity.

● Cold seawater pumped up from the ocean depths to a second heat exchanger provides a surface cool enough to cause the vapour to condense.

● The working fluid remains within the closed system, vaporizing and re-liquefying continuously.

Future of OTEC:

● The prospects for commercial application of OTEC technology seem bright, particularly on islands and in developing countries in the tropical regions where conditions are most favourable for OTEC plant operation.

● It has been estimated that the tropical ocean waters absorb solar radiation equivalent in heat content to that of about 250 billion barrels of oil each day.

● Removal of this much heat from the ocean would not significantly alter its temperature, but it would permit the generation of tens of millions of megawatts of electricity on a continuous basis.

Pros of OTEC:

● Beyond the production of clean power, the OTEC process also provides several useful by-products.

● The delivery of cool water to the surface has been used in air-conditioning systems and in chilled-soil agriculture (which allows for the cultivation of temperate-zone plants in tropical environments).

● It has been used in seawater desalination, and OTEC infrastructure allows access to trace elements present in deep-ocean seawater.

● In addition, hydrogen can be extracted from water through electrolysis for use in fuel cells.

Cons of OTEC:

● However, OTEC is a relatively expensive technology.

● The construction of costly OTEC plants and infrastructure is necessary before power can be generated.

● However, once facilities are made operational, it may be possible to generate relatively inexpensive electricity.

Offshore structures & Numerical Offshore tank

● Rising oil prices, increased environmental awareness and energy security issues are driving the rapid development of renewable energy technologies and dependence on offshore resources.

● There is increasing need of floating plants, design of the platform, the riser pipe and its attachment have to be studied from the point of dynamic interaction among them due to the action of waves, currents and wind.

● Symmetrical platforms, spar type platforms, semi submersible platform with suitable connections to riser are some of the technological options.

● The development of an integrated platform, riser and its mooring are major technological constraints for the design of a floating plant.

● Study of breaking wave forces for optimizing the structural design with innovative construction techniques will help to reduce the cost of structures.

● Another way of reducing costs is to have facilities with multiple purposes rather than a single purpose.

● The breakwaters would also serve as shore protection devices from cyclones and tsunamis for the fishing community.

● Land based windmill technology is well developed and popular.

● They do not need the costly coastal land area for erecting the windmills.

● Secondly, the offshore windmills experience larger wind speeds since there is no obstruction as on land.

● However, the design & construction of foundation for these windmills in shallow waters is a challenge.

Numerical Offshore Tank

● It is a dynamic simulator, capable of analyzing the complete hydrodynamics of production units as well as structural loads of mooring lines and risers.

● The main goal of the facility is to complement model basin tests, simulating the whole production system behavior under a wide range of different environmental conditions (wave, wind and current), enhancing the accuracy of the whole analysis in a fast and economical way.

● The facility of virtual environment with stereoscopic capabilities can simulate various elements like floating/fixed structure, risers, mooring lines/anchors, sea state, and seabed topography in 3D environments.

Fuel Cells

What is Fuel Cells?● A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy of a

fuel into electricity and produces heat & water.

● The fuel cells using different electrolytes operate at different temperatures.

● Fuel cells differ from conventional electrochemical cells and batteries.

● Both technologies involve the conversion of potential chemical energy into electricity.

● A conventional cell or battery employs reactions among metals and electrolytes whose chemical nature changes over time.

● But the fuel cell actually consumes its fuel, leaving nothing but an empty reservoir or cartridge.

● A common example of conventional electrochemical technology is the lead-acid automotive battery. Another is the lithium-ion battery.

● Some conventional cells and batteries can be recharged by connection to an external source of current. Others must be discarded when they are spent.

● A fuel cell, in contrast, is replenished merely by refilling its reservoir, or by removing the spent fuel cartridge and replacing it with a fresh one.

● While the recharging process for a conventional cell or battery can take hours, replacing a fuel cartridge takes only seconds.

Fuel Cell Development in India● Different kinds of fuel cells have been developed. A few of them have been

commercialized and remaining are under development. 1. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell 2. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell 3. Alkaline Fuel Cell 4. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell5. Direct Methanol/ Ethanol Fuel Cell6. Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell7. Bio-fuel Cell8. Direct Carbon Fuel Cell 9. Micro fuel cells

1. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM)

● Low Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells have high power density.

● It can be easily started-up and stopped at low temperatures ranging from -35 to 400C, which have been found suitable for application in light and heavy duty vehicles.

● These fuel cells have been commercialized in many applications like vehicular and stationary power generation.

2. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell

● The phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) have developed and commercialized with modules in the range of 100 - 400 kW for stationary power generation applications.

● It operates on propane/LPG/CNG / landfill gases with a lifetime of more than 45000 hours.

● The electrical efficiency of PAFC is about 40% and combined heat and power efficiency is around 85%.

3. Alkaline Fuel Cell

● Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC) is a low cost technology, because its components are made from inexpensive materials.

● Initially, it was used in space rockets.

● Now, these fuel cells are not in use because of their inherent problems, which have not been overcome.

● However, if further development take place, these can be deployed in various other applications such as telecommunication towers, scooters, auto-rickshaws, cars, boats, household inverters, etc.

4. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell● The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) are multi-fuel compliant and gasoline,

alcohol, natural gas, biogas etc. can be used.

● The fuels are reformed internally to produce hydrogen.

● SOFCs have been developed in two different designs i.e. tubular and planar types.

● Both have their merits and demerits in their fabrication and operation.

● SOFC systems have been developed in the power range of 250- 300 watts operating on propane, butane and LPG in the countries like USA, Canada, Germany, UK, Denmark, Australia, Japan etc.

5. Direct Methanol/Ethanol Fuel Cell

● Direct Methanol/ Ethanol Fuel Cell (DMFC / DEFC), uses methanol / ethanol to generate power less than 100 W.

● These fuel cells may be deployed in the devices with low power consumption like computerized notebooks, mobile phones, military equipment and other such electronic devices.

● DEFC faces the problem of incomplete oxidation of ethanol to produce hydrogen gas.

6. Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC)

● MCFC operates at a temperature of about 650 degrees C, which offers greater flexibility to the choice of fuels with higher efficiencies.

● However, it imposes limitations in the selection of suitable materials of construction for long time operations.

● All the carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide at anode, which requires proper management.

● The power plants based on MCFC technology have been installed from hundreds of kW to MW level in the world.

● In India, R&D activities were taken-up but later discontinued.

7. Bio-fuel Cell

● The fuel cells, which convert biochemical energy to electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction by using different forms of biocatalysts, are normally referred to as “Biofuel Cells”.

● Biological fuel cells (or Bio-fuel cells) are of two types viz.:

○ Microbial fuel cells employ living cells such as microorganisms as the catalyst.

○ Enzymatic biofuel cells, use different enzymes to catalyze the redox reaction of the fuels.

● The production/ consumption cycle of bio-fuels is considered to be carbon neutral and, in principle, more sustainable than that of conventional fuel cells.

● The potential areas for its power application are portable electronics, biomedical instruments, environmental studies, military and space research etc.

● In India, many institutions are active to develop suitable electrodes materials or tweak the microorganism.

● The range of substrates for BFCs is unlimited and depends on the biocatalysts being used to drive the reactions to generate power.

● The most important advantage is wastewater treatment with production of energy.

8. Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

● Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC) converts fuel (granulated carbon powder ranging from 10 to 1000 nm sizes) to electricity directly with a maximum electrical efficiency up to 70%.

● The systems, which may operate on low grade abundant fuels derived from coal, municipal and refinery waste products or biomass are under development.

9. Micro Fuel Cells

● Micro fuel cells (MFCs) are the miniature form of either PEMFC or DMFC or SOFC.

● They have the potential to replace batteries as they offer high power densities, considerably longer operational & standby times, shorter recharging time, simple balance of plant, and a passive operation.

● Micro fuel cells are ideal for use in portable electronic devices (fuel cell on a chip).

● Polymer electrolyte micro fuel cells can be used in 3D printing, which is effectively carried out on a large area.

Biopiracy

What is Biopiracy?

● Biopiracy is a kind of act in which indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous people, is used by others for profit.

● And this is done without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves.

● For example, indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants, is later patented by medical companies without recognizing the fact that the knowledge is not new, or invented by the patenter.

● It has been depriving the indigenous community of the rights to commercial exploitation of the technology that they themselves had developed.

● These practices contribute to inequality between developing countries rich in biodiversity, and developed countries hosting companies that engage in ‘biopiracy’.

● Therefore, biopiracy is also defined as the commercial development of naturally occurring biological materials, such as plant substances or genetic cell lines, by a technologically advanced country or organisation without fair compensation to the people or nations in whose territory the materials were originally discovered.

● Two conventions that are related to the subject are

1. Convention on Biological Diversity (the CBD) and

2. Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

● The CBD deals with the protection of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.

● And TRIPS deals with the protection of intellectual property.

● The CBD has no enforcement mechanism and has no dispute settlement procedure, such as TRIPS.

● The CBD covers three levels: genetic resources, species, and ecosystems of which all are of use or value for humanity and all goals are equal.

● The two most important articles in the CBD, concerning biopiracy are Article 3 and Article 8 (j).

● Article 3 of the CBD establishes sovereign rights over biological resources and commits member countries to conserve them, develop them for sustainability and share the benefits resulting from the use.

● In addition, under Article 8 (j) of the Convention, Parties have undertaken to encourage the equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Bioprospecting

● Bioprospecting is the search for biological resources and accompanying indigenous knowledge – primarily for the purpose of commercial exploitation.

● As such, while bioprospecting is not contrary to the interests of indigenous peoples or a threat to biodiversity, it can facilitate biopiracy.

● In other words, bioprospecting identifies biological resources (which might be traditional knowledge) with commercial potential, while biopiracy appropriates these resources and knowledge without obtaining prior informed consent or awarding just compensation.

● The rationale is to extract the maximum commercial value from genetic resources and indigenous knowledge while creating a fair compensation system that can benefit all.

● The phases of bioprospecting start with sample collection, isolation, characterization and move to product development and commercialization.

● Bioprospecting is possible both in terrestrial and marine environments.

● Bioprospecting, when properly regulated, generates revenues that can be directly linked to the conservation of biodiversity and to the benefit of local communities.

● Benefits can be monetary and non-monetary.

● Monetary benefits include license fees, upfront payments, payments per sample, milestone payments, and royalties generated from the commercialization of products derived from genetic resources.

● Nonmonetary benefits include

○ sharing of the results of research and development;

○ training through research exchanges and collaborative research;

○ joint ownership of intellectual property rights;

○ technology transfer; and

○ the provision of equipment and improvement of infrastructure.

Pros of Bioprospecting:

● It creates an incentive to monitor and preserve biodiversity in order to avoid the risk of losing economic opportunities from competitors or extinction;

● It promotes technology and knowledge transfer among countries along with foreign direct investment;

● Local populations will become increasingly aware of the potential economic value of natural habitats, providing incentives to the domestic population for biodiversity conservation;

● It promotes innovation, helping countries to develop new pharmaceutical products.

● It also favours employment opportunities related to natural products;

● It helps to preserve traditional culture and habits by rediscovering ancient native practices.

Cons of bioprospecting:

● Bioprospecting is timeconsuming and has high risk in terms of expected returns;

● Even the most advanced legal frameworks often fail to offer sufficient protection to traditional knowledge;

● The Nagoya Protocol coverage is still limited, increasing the risks of biopiracy from non-signature countries.

Science & Governance

e-Governance Through IT for Good Governance

● The simple and inclusive technology has transformative power and has been the source of good Governance.

● The Digital India programme is designed to take the cause of Good Governance forward in letter and spirit through innovations in science and technology.

● People participation, accountability, transparency, responsiveness and efficiency are the pillars of Good Governance and it can be effectively achieved through the use of present day technologies.

● There are a number of initiatives to promote Good Governance in the country with the application of latest technologies like

○ MyGov (Citizen participation platform),

○ Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System,

○ Jeevan Pramaan,

○ e-Greetings,

○ e-Sampark,

○ National Digital Literacy Mission,

○ e-Governance Competency Framework etc.

● Good Governance projects have been initiated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunication, Department of Posts and their organizations.

● Some of the key projects have been launched such as

○ Time Stamping of Digital Signature,

○ Integrated Indian Languages Virtual Keyboard for Android,

○ PARAM Shavak (Super computer in box solution),

○ .bharat domain in Gujarati and Bangla,

○ e-launch of Support International Patent Protection in Electronics & IT scheme (SIP-EIT),

○ Disbursements under Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS),

○ Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC) disbursement,

○ Gyansetu – an internet based real time ICT system to provide e-Services to the rural population of India,

○ MTNL Apps for Android smartphones and

○ e-Governance Competency Framework (e-GCF).

● Additionally, e-Books have been launched by the three departments namely Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications and Department of Posts.

● National e-Governance Plan website has been created for interaction to general public such as registration, invitation for exhibitions etc.

Thank You!