Algae biofuels

• They are alternative to fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils.
• They are also an alternative to commonly known biofuel sources, such as corn and sugarcane.

• Algae can synthesize large volumes of oil (20 times more than that of mustard per acre), grow fast (10 times quicker than terrestrial plants) and capture carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Microalgae are excellent at converting CO2 and sunlight into oil-rich biomass, especially when compared to land-based crop plants like oil palm and soy.
• By adapting microalgae to function as cell factories producing energy-dense oils that can easily be refined into renewable diesel and jet fuel, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent.
• The major challenges associated with algae biofuel include large water requirements, high cost of growth nutrients, expensive biomass harvesting, and difficult oil extraction from algae cells.
• Catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction technology is used to convert algae biomass to oil.
• Under this process, water is used as solvent under high temperature and pressure to extract oil from the biomass.

Breakthrough Agenda

• The Breakthrough Agenda is an unprecedented international clean technology plan to help keep 1.5°C in reach.
• It provides a framework for countries and businesses to join up and strengthen their actions every year, in every sector.
• It is done through a coalition of leading public, private and public-private global initiatives, and signposts the leading global initiatives that will help ensure success.
• It has been released by the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions.

Asian Palm Oil Alliance

• It is formed by five major palm oil importing countries, including- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• It was formed based on the idea to gain collective bargaining power and make imports sustainable.
• The alliance will work to

1. Change negative image of palm oil and ensure that it is recognized as a high-quality, economical, and healthy vegetable oil.
2. Safeguard economic and business interests of palm oil consuming countries and increase its consumption in member countries.

C Band and Radio altimeters

• A radio altimeter is an instrument that provides direct height-above-terrain information to various aircraft systems.
• For aircraft operations, the use of altimeters in this band ensures highly precise measurements of the plane’s altitude.
• The radio altimeters pick up the faintest signals reflected off the ground in the assigned frequencies to achieve highly accurate results.
• C-band falls in the middle of the radio spectrum used for 5G networks.
• It refers to the frequency bands of 3.7–3.98 GHz.

Indigenous toys

• Terracotta toys from Gujarat, Kondapalli and Etikoppa toys of Andhra Pradesh, Channapatna toys of Karnataka and Bamboo toys of Tripura.
• A novel method being deployed by the government to promote indigenous toys for learning among very young children.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development has compiled a State-wise national repository of indigenous toys and shared this with all States and Union Territories as part of its month-long special nutrition campaign.
• The Ministry is using these local, indigenous and DIY toys in anganwadi centres for creating awareness and educating children and their families about healthy living and good nutritional practices.
• States have also been directed to share and exchange their local play materials, folk stories as well as indigenous toys with each other.
• The Ministry has in fact paired the States to ensure diversity, for example: Andhra Pradesh with Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh with Madhya Pradesh.
• Ghuggu is indigenous to the state of Punjab.