Biofuels are renewable fuels that are predominantly produced from domestically produced biomass feed stocks or as a by product from the industrial processing of agricultural or food products, or from the recovery and reprocessing of products such as cooking and vegetable oil.
Biofuel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum fuel to create a biofuel blend. It can be used in conventional healing equipment or diesel engine with no major modification.
Biofuel is simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics. Ethanol and biodiesel are the most widely recognized biofuel sources for transport sector.
Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources such as vegetable oils, etc; which can be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles. It is thus distinguished from the straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as fuels in some modified diesel vehicles.
The concept of using vegetable oil as a fuel dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel.
Biodiesel was probably the first of the alternative fuels to really become known to the public. The great advantage of biodiesel is that it can be used in existing vehicles with little or no adaptation necessary.
Biodiesel is, naturally, a compromise for this reason, but still balances positively on the energy scales. There are energy plants available that will produce a higher yield in kWh per area, but the simplicity of having a fuel that is fully compatible with present fuel and engine technology makes it very attractive.
Liquid biofuels made from biomass are attracting increasing interest worldwide. Industrial countries see biofuels as a way of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector and diversifying energy sources. Developing countries see biofuels as a way to stimulate rural development, create jobs, and save foreign exchange. Both groups view biofuels as a means of increasing energy security.
These concerns, taken together and highlighted by recent surges in the world oil price, have prompted a wide range of countries to consider biofuels programs. Canada, Colombia, the European Union (EU), India, Thailand, and the United States have adopted new targets, some mandatory, for increasing the contribution of biofuels to their transport fuel supplies.
In Brazil, after a period of a decline in ethanol consumption, flex-fuel vehicles - capable of running on varying percentages of ethanol - are revitalizing the ethanol market.
This report on Biodiesel Market Potential is a complete guide to help assess the feasibility of this alternative fuel source. It includes an examination of successful biodiesel applications.
View Table of ContentsPages: 61
Publication Date: March 2007
Publisher: Energy Business Reports
)
