Investigation of Biofuel as a Potential Renewable Energy Source

Abstract

An accelerating global energy demand, paired with the harmful environmental effects of fossil fuels, has triggered the search for alternative, renewable energy sources. Biofuels are arguably a potential renewable energy source in the transportation industry as they can be used within current infrastructures and require less technological advances than other renewable alternatives, such as electric vehicles and nuclear power. The literature suggests biofuels can negatively impact food security and production; however, this is dependent on the type of feedstock used in biofuel production. Advanced biofuels, derived from inedible biomass, are heavily favoured but require further research and development to reach their full commercial potential. Replacing fossil fuels by biofuels can substantially reduce particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, but simultaneously increase emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), resulting in debates concerning the way biofuels should be implemented. The potential biofuel blends (FT-SPK, HEFA-SPK, ATJ-SPK and HFS-SIP) and their use as an alternative to kerosene-type fuels in the aviation industry have also been assessed. Although these fuels are currently more costly than conventional aviation fuels, possible reduction in production costs has been reported as a potential solution. A preliminary study shows that i-butanol emissions (1.8 Tg/year) as a biofuel can increase ozone levels by up to 6% in the upper troposphere, highlighting a potential climate impact. However, a larger number of studies will be needed to assess the practicalities and associated cost of using the biofuel in existing vehicles, particularly in terms of identifying any modifications to existing engine infrastructure, the impact of biofuel emissions, and their chemistry on the climate and human health, to fully determine their suitability as a potential renewable energy source.

Particle Number Concentration Measurements on Public Transport in Bangkok, Thailand

“…The addition of more light railways, similar to the MRT and BTS system, could reduce passenger exposure to ultrafine particles. There are also plans to change diesel fuel by moving towards biofuel mixtures, which is likely to change the amount of pollutants produced [ 70 ]. Jedynska et al [ 71 ] measured a decrease in PNC produced with biofuel mixtures per brake-specific fuel consumption.…”

Viability of non‐edible oilseed plants and agricultural wastes as feedstock for biofuels production: a techno‐economic review from an African perspective

“…158 Biofuels can also be produced from a wide range of edible and inedible biomasses, as well as alternative triglyceride sources. 39,159,160 In that regard, although several technological production options for a potential project may each have their own merits and downsides, it is frequently difficult for a designer of bioenergy system to arrive at the ideal mix of alternatives due to the abundance of options and relevant constraints. Techno-economic analysis, sometimes termed techno-economic assessment (TEA), has been developed as a tool and is widely adopted as a procedure to address the quandary that potential investors in the biofuels industry confront, and to streamline engineering systems and process design.…”

Economic impacts of biodiesel policy in Indonesia: a computable general equilibrium approach

“…According to Gunatilake et al (2011a), adopting biofuel as a renewable energy source offers opportunities for climate change mitigation and greater energy security for many countries. According to Khan et al (2021), biofuels are arguably a potential renewable energy source in the transportation industry. The issues of climate stabilization and rapid innovation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have also stimulated a new agribusiness energy industry, particularly in high-income economies with more energyintensive expenditure (Berndes et al 2003;Farrell et al 2006).…”