Biofuels are transportation fuels derived from renewable sources such as plants and animals.
When burned, biofuels release CO2 with no net carbon
emissions
There are many types of biofuels in development.
John David
Kaweske, chairman and CEO of Bio Clean Energy S.A, indicates that solid, liquid or gaseous
fuels produced from biomass are called biofuels. Biofuels are renewable and
good substitutes for fossil fuels. Most of the biofuels available on the market
today are made from plants. They are often used as transportation fuels.
According
to John David Kaweske, certain plants are being cultivated specifically
for the production of biofuels. In the United States, switchgrass (Panicum
virgatum), soybeans, and corn are important sources of biofuel. Brazil uses
sugar cane, while Europe processes beets and wheat. Other agricultural products
that are transformed into biofuels are cassava and sorghum in China, miscanthus
and palm oil in Southeast Asia, and jatropha in India.
Some examples of biofuels are biodiesel, bioalcohols
(bioethanol, biomethanol, biobutanol), biogas, synthesis gas and solid biofuels
such as wood, charcoal and sawdust. Among the countries that have strongly
promoted the development and use of biofuels are Brazil, the United States,
France, Sweden and Germany.
Types of biofuels
Biofuels are classified into three groups: first generation,
second generation and third generation.
First-generation biofuels are produced using conventional
technology that uses sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats as sources.
Since its raw materials are also sources of food, the “food vs. fuels ”is a
major issue within first generation fuels.
The production of first generation biofuels has limitations
because it could threaten the food supply and biodiversity. To meet the growing
demand for biofuels, second generation biofuels were developed. These
second-generation biofuels are produced from non-food crops or portions of food
crops that are inedible and considered waste, including stems, pods, wood chips
and fruit peels.
According to experts, such as John David Kaweske, second-generation biofuels generate
greater savings in greenhouse gas emissions than first-generation biofuels.
However, the production of second generation biofuels is more complicated
because it involves the extraction of useful raw materials from woody or
fibrous biomass.
John David
Kaweske indicates that the third generation of biofuels corresponds to
those that are produced from algae. The production of oil or fuel from algae
involves the fermentation of the carbohydrate of the algae.
Second and third generation biofuels are also known as
advanced biofuels. An example of an advanced biofuel that is still in development
is hydrogenation-derived renewable diesel (HDRD). HDRD is produced from animal
fats or vegetable oils that have been refined in oil refineries. This fuel can
mix with oil.
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