Amazon India, Hindustan Petroleum join forces to drive biofuel adoption for long-haul transportation

Amazon India announced Oct. 28 that it has forged a strategic partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. to accelerate the development and adoption of low-carbon fuels (LCFs) for long-haul transportation in India.

This collaboration will focus on increasing the supply and demand for renewable alternatives such as renewable diesel and compressed biogas, which offer substantial reductions in carbon intensity compared to conventional fossil fuels.

The partnership aims to boost the development and adoption of low-carbon fuels from agricultural and industrial waste, starting with the cities of Visakhapatnam and Bahadurgarh.

Eventually, fueling hubs and mobile refueling stations will be developed across India.

The alliance marks a significant milestone in Amazon’s global commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040, while simultaneously supporting India’s national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

Amazon India and HPCL marked the collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

The two companies will conduct a pilot to test fuels in Amazon’s long-haul transport vehicles and explore the possibilities of fueling hubs and mobile refueling stations for easy access to LCFs.

They will also engage with government bodies and industry think tanks to support policies that promote the scaling of LFCs in India.

“Biofuels are key to India’s energy transition and are set to contribute to jobs and economic growth,” said Abhinav Singh, Amazon India’s vice president of operations. “Amazon’s collaboration with HPCL is a step toward empowering this transformational shift, and we are glad to be a part of this journey. In line with The Climate Pledge’s global goal to reach net-zero carbon by 2040, accelerating fuel alternatives in our transportation network reinforces our commitment to India’s energy ambitions and is helping our mission to reduce emissions. We are keen to observe the environmental gains of this push to development and adoption of low-carbon fuels in India.”

A spokesperson for HPCL added, “We are committed to developing and scaling sustainable fuel solutions that benefit our country, the industry and the environment. This collaboration marks a pivotal step toward decarbonizing long-haul transportation and aligns with our vision of supporting India’s long-term low-carbon development strategy. Together, we aim to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy solutions, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future for our country.”

In 2019, Amazon cofounded and was the first signatory of The Climate Pledge, which commits signatories to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Signatories work together to regularly measure and report greenhouse-gas emissions.

Additionally, they implement changes and innovate solutions to bring into effect decarbonization strategies in line with the Paris Agreement.