This is a joint initiative of IITs and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology, IIT officials said.
The virtual centre, named 'DBT-Pan IIT Centre for Bioenergy' has five IITs - Bombay, Kharagpur, Guwahati, Jodhpur and Roorkee involved in it.
Prof Saikat Chakraborty of IIT Kharagpur said the research team from the five participating institutes has 32 investigators who will research on topics like cyanobacterial biofuels, biofuels from micro-algae, etc.
The centre will also work towards developing a mutually beneficial relationship with the bioenergy industry in the country, he said.