Renewable fuels

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Renewable Fuels are

Middle Eastern
oil.

Rationale for renewable fuels

The International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2006 concludes that rising oil demand, if left unchecked, would accentuate the consuming countries' vulnerability to a severe supply disruption and resulting price shock. Renewable biofuels for transport represent a key source of diversification from

temperate regions have a part to play, but they are relatively expensive and their energy efficiency and CO2 savings benefits, are variable. Biofuels from sugar cane and other highly productive tropical crops are much more competitive and beneficial. But all first generation biofuels ultimately compete with food production for land, water, and other resources. Greater efforts are required to develop and commercialize second generation biofuel technologies, such as biorefineries and ligno-cellulosics, enabling the flexible production of biofuels and other products from non-edible plant materials.[2]

Hubbert's

global warming that may usher in unprecedented climate change
.

Furthermore, the conclusion that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change, along with regional geopolitical instabilities have challenged nations to act to develop both alternative and carbon-neutral sources of energy. Renewable fuels are therefore becoming attractive to many governments, who are beginning to see sustainable energy independence as a valuable asset.

On December 19, 2007, President Bush signed into law the

Energy Independence and Security Act, establishing a requirement that at least 36 billion US gallons (140,000,000 m3) of renewable fuel be used in the marketplace by 2022.[4]

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA),

cellulosic ethanol commercialization could allow ethanol fuels to play a much larger role in the future than previously thought.[5] Cellulosic ethanol can be made from plant matter composed primarily of inedible cellulose fibers that form the stems and branches of most plants. Dedicated energy crops, such as switchgrass, are also promising cellulose sources that can be produced in many regions of the United States.[6]

Biofuel

Main article: Biofuel
Information on pump regarding ethanol fuel blend up to 10%, California
A bus fueled by biodiesel

Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological

oil price spikes, the need for increased energy security, concern over greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and support from government subsidies
.

USA and in Brazil. Current plant design does not provide for converting the lignin
portion of plant raw materials to fuel components by fermentation.

Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe.

In 2010 worldwide biofuel production reached 105 billion liters (28 billion gallons US), up 17% from 2009, and biofuels provided 2.7% of the world's fuels for road transport, a contribution largely made up of ethanol and biodiesel.[8] Global ethanol fuel production reached 86 billion liters (23 billion gallons US) in 2010, with the United States and Brazil as the world's top producers, accounting together for 90% of global production. The world's largest biodiesel producer is the European Union, accounting for 53% of all biodiesel production in 2010.[8] As of 2011, mandates for blending biofuels exist in 31 countries at the national level and in 29 states/provinces.[9] According to the International Energy Agency, biofuels have the potential to meet more than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050.[10]

Pyrolysis oil is another type of fuel derived from the lignocellulosic fraction of biomass. By rapidly heating biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis), a liquid crude can be formed that can be further processed into a usable bio-oil. As opposed to other biofuels, pyrolysis oils use the non-edible fraction of biomass and can occur on the order of milliseconds and without the need for large fermentation reactors.[11]

Hydrogen fuel

Hydrogen fuel requires the development of a specific infrastructure for processing, transport and storage.
Main article: Hydrogen economy

hydrogen fuel can be divided into two general categories: biologically derived production, and chemical production.[12]
This is an area of current research, and new developments and technologies are causing this field to evolve rapidly.

The biological production of hydrogen fuel has been a topic of research since at least the 1970s. Hydrogen gas can be produced from biomass sources like agricultural and forest residues, consumer waste, and other specific agricultural crops.

algae farms are attempting to make algae an economically feasible energy source.[14]

There are also several physico-chemical methods for producing hydrogen; most of these methods require electrolysis of water. When this process draws its power from renewable energy sources like

photovoltaic cells, the production requires little consumption of non-renewable resources. Hydrogen fuel, when produced by renewable sources of energy like wind or solar power, is a renewable fuel[12] known as green hydrogen
.

Synthetic fuel (electrofuel)

Main article: Synthetic fuel
Main article: Electrofuel

Electrofuels, also known as e-fuels or synthetic fuels, are a type of drop-in replacement fuel. They are manufactured using captured carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, together with

hydrogen
obtained from sustainable electricity sources such as wind, solar and nuclear power.

The process uses carbon dioxide in manufacturing and releases around the same amount of carbon dioxide into the air when the fuel is burned, for an overall low carbon footprint. Electrofuels are thus an option for reducing

Zero
, which is building a development production plant at Bicester Heritage near Oxford.

Processed engineered fuel

PEF is a partial replacement for fossil fuels in cement kilns. It has significant calorific value and can be used as a fuel substitute for coal and gas in high-combustion facilities. PEF facilities typically divert waste from landfill, reducing demand for non-renewable coal and reducing waste to landfill.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Technology". Carbon Recycling International. 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  2. ^ Contribution of Renewables to Energy Security
  3. ^ Biomass for biofuel isn't worth it
  4. ^ Issue Update: Renewable Fuels Retailer Liability
  5. ^ International Energy Agency (2006). World Energy Outlook 2006 Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine p. 8.
  6. ^ Biotechnology Industry Organization (2007). Industrial Biotechnology Is Revolutionizing the Production of Ethanol Transportation Fuel Archived 2006-02-12 at the Wayback Machine pp. 3-4.
  7. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.04.036
    .
  8. ^ a b "Biofuels Make a Comeback Despite Tough Economy". Worldwatch Institute. 2011-08-31. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  9. ^ REN21 (2011). "Renewables 2011: Global Status Report" (PDF). pp. 13–14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "IEA says biofuels can displace 27% of transportation fuels by 2050 Washington". Platts. 20 April 2011.
  11. ^ Huber, George (2007). "Breaking the Chemical and Engineering Barriers to Lignocellulosic Biofuels: Next Generation Hydrocarbon Biorefineries". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ^ a b c d New Horizons for Hydrogen (PDF), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2003, archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04
  13. ^ Wired, It Came from the Swamp: Reengineering Algae To Fuel The Hydrogen Economy, accessed September 17, 2007.
  14. ^ The Register, Pond life: the future of energy, accessed September 17, 2007.

External links

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