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Different Generations of Biofuels and their Importance

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The environment section is considered very important nowadays with respect to government exams like SSC, State PSC, Railways, Banking, etc. We find many questions from the Environment general awareness section. We will cover this section comprehensively so that students can learn and get most of the questions correct in this section. In this article, we will discuss different generations of Biofuels and their Importance.

Biofuel: 

  • Any hydrocarbon fuel i.e., Any solid, liquid, or gas produced in a short time from organic material, which may be living or formerly living material, is considered a biofuel. For example Solids – wood, liquid – manure, bioethanol and biodiesel, and Gas – Biogas
     
  • Biofuels can be made from biomass such as corn, sugar, vegetable oil, and waste.
     
  • Biofuels emit less carbon dioxide (CO2) than conventional fuels, so they can be blended with existing fuels to reduce CO2 emissions in the transportation sector effectively. 
     
  • Biofuels account for approximately 3% of global road fuel use.

Different Generations of Biofuels:

First Generation:

First-generation biofuels are produced directly from food crops, either by extracting oil for use in biodiesel or by traditional methods such as fermentation to produce bioethanol. Crops such as wheat and sugar are the most commonly used feedstocks for bioethanol, but rapeseed oil has proven to be a very effective crop for use in biodiesel. First-generation biofuels have several problems associated with them. These biofuels can create a negative net energy gain by releasing more carbon during production than the feedstock captures during growth. The most controversial issue with first-generation biofuels is ‘fuel vs. food’. Biofuels from food grains have been blamed for rising food prices in recent years.

Second Generation:

They are made from non-food crops such as wood, organic waste, food crop waste, and certain biomass crops, eliminating a major problem with first-generation biofuels. Second-generation biofuels also aim to be more cost-competitive with existing fossil fuels. Life cycle evaluations of second-generation biofuels also show increased net positive energy gains to overcome another important limitation of first-generation biofuels.

Third Generation:

Third-generation biofuels use specially modified energy crops such as algae. Algae are grown to serve as a low-cost, high-energy, fully renewable resource. Algae are predicted to have the potential to produce more energy per hectare than conventional plants. Algae can also grow on land and water bodies unsuitable for food production. Another advantage of algae-based biofuels is that the fuel can be processed into different fuels such as diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. It is potentially carbon neutral (absorbs and emits the same amount of carbon).

Fourth Generation:

Fourth-generation biofuels aim not only to generate sustainable energy but also to provide a way to capture and store CO2. Biomass raw materials that have absorbed CO2 during the growth process are turned into fuel through the same process as second-generation biofuels. This process differs from 2nd and 3rd generation production because carbon dioxide is captured during all stages of production using processes such as oxy-combustion. Carbon dioxide can be sequestered by storing it in old oil and gas fields or saline aquifers. This CO2 capture makes 4th generation biofuel production carbon-negative rather than just carbon neutral as it captures more CO2 than it produces. The system not only captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also reduces CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels.

Some Important Biofuels:

1. Bio-diesel:

It is made by a biochemical process called “transesterification”. Biodiesel is made from renewable resources such as plant/vegetable/animal oils for use in diesel engines. Vegetable oils are chemically called triglycerides (fat). Biodiesel consists of esters of long-chain fatty acids derived from these oils. To produce biodiesel, the fats (triglycerides) in vegetable oil are reacted with an alcohol (usually methanol). In this reaction, glycerol (in triglycerides) is replaced with methanol to produce a methyl ester (biodiesel). Biofuel development in India is focused on the cultivation of seeds (40%) of the oil-rich Jatropha plant.

2. Bio-butanol:

Biobutanol is 4-carbon alcohol produced by fermentation of biomass. Biobutanol can be produced in ethanol production plants. Biobutanol is mainly used as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Its properties are similar to gasoline. Some gasoline vehicles can even use biobutanol without modification and can be added to gasoline at concentrations up to 11.5% by volume. However, the main drawback of biobutanol is its lower energy content than gasoline, averaging 10-20%.
Biobutanol has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 85% compared to gasoline.

3. Bio-ethanol:

Bioethanol (also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH)) is an alcohol derived from starch and sugar cane. It is commonly mixed with gasoline. Bioethanol is primarily produced by fermentation and the reaction of ethylene and steam. It is biodegradable, has low toxicity, and low impact on the environment. Ethanol is a high-octane fuel and has replaced lead as an octane booster for gasoline. By mixing ethanol with gasoline, the fuel mixture can also be oxygenated for more complete combustion and reduced pollutant emissions.

4. Bio-hydrogen:

Biohydrogen can be produced through various processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. Biohydrogen can be viewed as a valuable energy source to replace fossil fuels. However, economically viable large-scale biohydrogen production is essential to replace fossil fuels with biohydrogen.

5. Bio-gas:

Biogas is a by-product of the decomposition of plant and animal waste in low-oxygen environments such as landfills, waste treatment plants, and dairy products.
It is formed by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. Since biogas consists primarily of methane and carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases), the natural incentives to keep biogas out of the atmosphere are strong.

Advantages:

  • Biofuels are made from renewable resources and are relatively non-flammable compared to fossil diesel.
     
  • Biofuels are adaptable to current engine designs and perform very well under most conditions.
     
  • Biofuels produce less harmful CO2 emissions than conventional diesel. Biofuels are made from a variety of renewable resources such as fertilizers, crop residues, corn, switchgrass, soybeans, and algae, and crops are specifically grown for fuel. 
     
  • Countries can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels if more people switch to biofuels.
     
  • Fueling homes, businesses, and vehicles with biofuels are cheaper than fossil fuels.
     
  • As the biofuel industry grows, it will create more jobs and keep our economy safe.
     
  • Biofuels are biodegradable, reducing the potential for soil and groundwater contamination during transportation, storage, or use. Currently, the price of biofuel is the same as gasoline on the market. However, the overall cost-effectiveness of using them is much higher.
     
  • They are cleaner fuels, meaning fewer emissions when burned.
     
  • It may become cheaper in the future as demand increases.
     

Last Updated : 26 Sep, 2022
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