WHAT ARE BIOFUELS?

BIOFUELS 

Biofuel- Any liquid fuel made from biomass- means biological organic component such as trees/plants, grasses, algae, waste matters, animals excreta, sugarcane, corn, excluded kitchen waste, cooked oil etc.

Biomass =bio( biological/organic matters) + mass ( quantity in weight or Volume at large)

Producing Biofuels 

There are many different biofuels in production or under development and, even the same biofuel might be made in more than one way.

Purpose : To help protect, our planet from climate change. 

Feedstock:  The feedstock is just the plant or other organic material used to make a biofuels.

• Agriculture : Most biofuels come from farms. Good farming practices can help trap extra carbon in the soil.  On the other hand, many fertilizers release Green House Gases into the atmosphere.

• Oil crops : oil crops are the base the production for biodiesel production. For example, rapeseed in UK, soybean in USA for biodiesel,Argentina, Brazil for biodiesel; palm oils in Indonesia and Malaysia for biodiesel;  corn oil in the USA for ethanol production. Safflowerseed, groundnuts, cotton seeds, linseed,  maize,  olive, palm oils,  sesame seeds  castorbean.
• Sugar crops:  Sugarcane,  sugar Beet and sweet Sorghum can be used for both conventional (ethanol via fermentation) and for advanced biofuels. Residual beet pulp and boyasse  the fibrous material left after sugar extraction from cane or Sorghum can be used to produce cellulosic ethanol. Fermentable sugars can also be converted to drop-in fuels via biotechnology. In Europe Sugarbeet is used to produce fuel ethanol. 
• Starch crops: Starch feedstocks include grains,such as corn, wheat, and tubers such as sweet potatoes, Cassava. These feedstock contains long complex chains of sugar molecules. The starch can easily be converted to fermentable sugar. The sugar can be converted to ethanol or drop-in-fuels. In Europe wheat is currently the main starch crop for bioethanol production.  
• Lignocellulosic crops for production of advanced biofuels. Such as Napier grass  halophytes.

Municipal solid waste: 

• recycle able material such as metals, papers, and plastics.
• organic fraction such as putrescible solid waste may be converted to biogas via anaerobic digestion.
• solid recovered fuels that can not be recycled e.g.,shredded textiles, wood, paper, card, plastics can be cumbusted or  converted to syngas and then be used for bioenergy or be produced into advance biofuels.

Waste material: used cooking oils as a feedstock for road biodiesel and biojet fuels. 

Forest produces: log wood,  pellets, foliage, roots, branches etc.

Processing: Transforming feedstock into biofuels is not easy as we think. It required facilties to extract energy rich oils,  or starches from raw materials or, ferment, heat,  or chemically treat the feedstocks. And every method of processing biofuels takes energy which can get from carbon free  sources lile solar or wind or by burning fossil fuels. 

Use: Eventually, fuel is burnt and carbon inside it is emitted back into the atmosphere 

Biofuels are used to give the powers to  

cars, trucks, and aircrafts asareplacementsfor petroleum based fuels like gasoline and diesel and it does not contribute to the green house gas and climate change as they are made up of biomass that grow by the process of "photosynthesis" in which plants absorbs CO2 from atmosphere and stored in its stem and leaves and CO2 goes back in the atmosphere on burning biofuels that makes it "carbon neutral"  or "carbon negative" in reality". This made biofuels environment friendly and environment friendly fuels are acalled clean or green energy.

the benefit of this fuels is that it does not require any specific type of Engine, so it can be used in the same existing vehicle`s Engine that made it the best alternative fuel for diesel and petrol.

today many different biofuels are in production, made in different ways. the most common process is to use bacteria and yeast to ferment starchy foods like corn into ethanol, a partial replacement for gasoline.

National policy on biofuels 2018 of India 

• The Policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of :
• Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, 
• Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, 
• Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten Potatoes, unfit for human consumption.
• Conversation of surplus food grains to ethanol on approval of National biofuels coordination committee.
• India's target is to achieve 10% ethanol blending in petrol by 2022, and 20% blending by 2025.
• 5% blending of biodiesel into diesel by 2030.

Categories of biofuels

Biofuels are classified into three categories. They are:

1. First generation biofuels - First-generation biofuels are made from food product such as  sugar(e.g.,sugarbeet,sugarcane); starch/cereals (e.g. wheat,  maize);  vegetable oil (e.g., rape, palm oil ) or animal fats using conventional technology.
•  Common first-generation biofuels include Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Ethanol, Bioethers, Biogas.
2. Second generation biofuels - These are produced from non-food crops, such as cellulosic biofuels and waste biomass (stalks of wheat and corn, and wood, straw, forestry resources MSW, agricultural residues).
•  Examples include advanced biofuels like biohydrogen, biomethanol.
3. Third generation biofuels - These are produced from micro-organisms like algae and aquatic biomass, cyanobacteria for production of jet fuel, algal biofuels etc,

• The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels" viz.
• First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels".
• Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels.
• Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.

There are important biofuels:

Bio-ethanols(1G):   ethanols are ethyl alcohols  and are produced by biomass such as sugar containing materials ( sugarcane,sugarbeet, sweet Sorghum etc), starchy contsining materials (corn, rotten potatoes, algae )and cellulosic materials ( agriculturalresidues, wastewood, bagasse). In india  bioethanol is produced from mollases which is by product of sugar industry.

Ethanol blending programme:

• Ethanol blending are being done by the oil marketing companies. 
• Government investment 41,000 crore for capacity enhancement of distilleries.
• 6% interest subvention loan for installation of distilleries.
• It is one of the seven key drivers identified by India for its energy maps. 
• Currently, India's production is 684 crore litres(8.5% blended) and by 2025 aim is to produce 1500 crore litres(20% blending) .
• Till 2014, only 1.5% ethanol could be blended in India which has now reached about 8.5%.
• In 2013-14, about 38 crore litres of ethanol was purchased in the country which has now grown to more than 320 crore litres about 8 fold increase, benefited the farmer of sugarcane.
• India's target is to achieve 10%ethanol blending in petrol by 2022.
• And 20% blending by 2025.
• The primary raw material for ethanol production is sugarcane and its by-products, accounting for more than 90% of fuel ethanol supplied under the ethanol blending program.
• In addition to sugarcane ethanol is also produced from damaged food grains, B-heavy mollases and sugarcane juice.
• The indian government has been also decided to utilize surplus rice available with the Food Corporation of India and maize as an additional source of feedstock for ethanol production.
• Most of the ethanol manufacturing units are concentrated in 4-5 states where sugar production is high but now food grain based distilleries are being developed to expand the network across country.
• There are several reasons why this push for ethanol is important: 
• India plans to reduce its carbon footprint from 2005 levels by 33-35% by 2030. Increased ethanol blending with fossile fuels will help reduce pollution.
• It will also help lower the crude oil import bill.
• Ethanol procurement will benefit sugarcane and grain farmers.
• It could open new business and generate employment. 
• It could lead to introduction of flex-fuel engines(that can run on more than one fuel and a mixture ) inthe country in the near future.

Challenge:

• Increased targets of ethanol blending can lead/ incentivise the production of water-intensive crops such as sugarcane and rice.
• The government should focus on lower water intensity crops such as millets because India is already facing an acute water shortage.

Biodiesel (1G) is a methyl or ethyl ester of fatty  acids produced from  edible (soybean, palm oils etc.);non-edible  oilseeds (e.g., neem, mahua,  castorbean etc.), acid oils, used cooking oil, animal fats and bio-oil.  

Bio-diesel is an eco-friendly, alternative diesel fuel prepared from domestic renewable resources ie. vegetable oils (edible or non- edible oil) and animal fats. These natural oils and fats are primarily made up of triglycerides. These triglycerides when reacted chemically with lower alcohols in presence of a catalyst result in fatty acid esters. These esters show striking similarity to petroleum derived diesel and are called "Biodiesel". As India is deficient in edible oils, non-edible oil may be material of choice for producing biodiesel. Examples are Jatropha curcas, Pongamia, Karanja, etc.

     The benefits of using biodiesel are as follows

• It reduce vehicle emission which makes it eco-friendly.
• It is made from renewable sources and can be prepared locally.
• Increases engine performance because it has higher cetane numbers as compared to petro diesel.
• It has excellent lubricity.
• Increased safety in storage and transport because the fuel is nontoxic and bio degradable (Storage, high flash pt)
• Production of bio diesel in India will reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, thus helpful in price stability.
• Reduction of greenhouse gases at least by 3.3 kg CO2 equivalent per kg of biodiesel.

• Jatropha

  Jatropha curcas is multi purpose non edible oil yielding perennial shrub. This is a hardy and drought tolerant crop can be raised in marginal lands with lesser input. The crop can be maintained for 30 years economically.

  Sugarbeet

  Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris Var. Saccharifera L.) is a biennial sugar producing tuber crop, grown in temperate countries. Now tropical sugarbeet varieties are gaining momentum in tropical and sub tropical countries, as a promising alternative energy crop for the production of ethanol.

  
  

  Sorghum

  Sorghum (S. bicolor) is the most important millet crop occupying largest area among the cereals next to rice. It is mainly grown for its grain and fodder. Alternative uses of sorghum include commercial utilization of grain in food industry and utilization of stalk for the production of value-added products like ethanol, syrup and jaggery and bioenriched bagasse as a fodder and as a base material for cogeneration.

  
  

  Pongamia

  There is several non edible oil yielding trees that can be grown to produce biofuel. Karanja (Pongamia) is one of the most suitable trees. It is widely grown in various parts of the country.

  Salient features of Pongamia

  • It is a Nitrogen fixing tree and hence enriches the soil fertility
  • It is generally not grazed by animals
  • It is tolerant to water logging, saline and alkaline soils,
  • It can withstand harsh climates (medium to high rainfall).
  • It can be planted on degraded, waste/fallow and cultivable lands
  • Pongamiaseeds contain 30-40% oil.
  • It helps in controlling soil erosion and binding sand dunes, because of its dense network of lateral roots.
  • Its root, bark, leaves, sap, and flower have medicinal properties. Dried leaves are used as an insect repellent in stored grains.

  Properties of Pongamia Oil

  • Non edible oil is largely extracted from seeds.
  • The collected seeds consist of 95% kernel
  • The oil content varies between 27 - 40%.
  • When mechanical expellers are used for recovery of oil from the kernels, the yield of oil is reported to be about 24 to 26.5%
  • The crude oil is yellow orange to brown in color, which deepens on standing. It has a bitter taste, disagreeable odour, and it’s non-edible.
  • Apart from use as a biofuel, the oil can be used for lighting lamps, lubricant, water-paint binder, pesticide, and in soap making and tanning industries
  • The oil is known to be used for the treatment of rheumatism and human and animal skin diseases.
  • The press cake (left over after oil extraction) is rich in Nitrogen and hence can be used for improving soil fertility. The press cake when applied to the soil, also has pesticidal value, particularly against nematodes.

  Pongamia seed oil Vs standard petroleum/diesel

  • Pongamia seed oil as a bio- fuel has physical properties very similar to conventional diesel.
  • It is, however a clean fuel (eco friendly) than conventional diesel

• India's national policy on biofuels in 2018 targets 5% blending of biodiesel in diesel by2030. The policy encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds, used cooking oils and short gestation crops.

Compressed biogas (CBG): it uses crop residue such as paddy straw and biomass as feedstock for production of CBG.

• SATAT- SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TOWARDS AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION 
• SATAT scheme launched in India in October 2018 aims to establish an ecosystem for production of CBG from various waste biomass sources in the country. 
• It will not only reduce GHG but will reduce burning of agricultural residues, which results in air pollution reduction.
• Bio-manure is a byproduct of CBG plants, used in farming. 

Advance biofuels(1G): fuels which are produced from  lignocellulosic, nonfood cross (e.g., grasses, algae) or industri waste having lower carbon dioxide emission / high GHG reduction. For instance,  fuels like second generation ethanol,drop-in-fuels, bio-methanol,  Bio-CNG, Bio-hydrogen etc. Many research are under processing for high grade biofuel production for jet.

• Drop-in-fuels(2G): Any liquid fuel produced from biomass such  as agricultural residues, wastes like municipal solid waste (MSW), plastic wastes, industrial wastes.There are technologies available which can convert waste/plastic, MSW to drop in fuels. One ton of such waste has the potential to provide around 20% of drop in fuels.
• Bio-CNG(3G): It is a purified form of biogas whose energy potential and composition is similar to that of fossile based natural gas. In bio CNG plant biomass such as cow dung is used to produce biogas. Such as In Varanasi Bio-CNG plant operated under CSR funding by Adani at cow shelter.

Raw material required for biofuels are: sugarcane,  rice, maize, mollases corn, waste, agricultural residues, oilseeds, kitchen waste, grasses, algae, seaweeds, etc.

Benefits of use of biofuels: biofuels provides a large number of benefits for human health and environment some of them are given below:

• It reduced air pollution by its carbon neutral feature.
• Benefited to the health of animal and humans as well. 
• Reduced the import dependecy of the country on fossile fuels consequently saved foreign exchange. 
• Increasing farmer's income additionally. 
• Mitigating problems of climate change, global warming,  sea level changes etc.
• Hepls in sustainable development of the nation.
• Reduces death rate caused by air pollution. 
• Meeting the  increased energy demands.
• Helped in waste management. 
• Provided pollution free clean energy.
• Generating multiple employment and rural infrastructure. 

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Resources:

https://www.etipbioenergy.eu/other-resources/biofuel-production-in-europe

https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1532265

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1727206