Sustainable Bio-energy Fuels

The trend of exploring new sources of fuel for automobiles is increasing over the past decade, where the use of biodiesel as alternatives for fossil fuels is investigated exclusively, due to its potential of decreasing greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. Production and use of biodiesel can encourage the agricultural industry and provide self-reliance on automobile fuels which in turn boosts regional economic development. Biofuels or biodiesel is widely used as hybrid fuel in more than 20 countries around the world with an account annual consumption of over 2 million tons [1].

Figure 1. Credit to SNB.

As an example in this context, considering the Hong Kong region, the increasing interest among the public to reduce air pollution drives them to use biodiesel as fuels. The environmental protection department of Hong Kong has conducted a feasibility study at the University of Hong Kong on the use of biodiesel as an automotive fuel in Hong Kong. The main motivation and goal of the study were to find the percentage of biodiesel to be blended in order to effectively reduce air pollutant emissions, flue gas opacity, and engine power in diesel engines of Hong Kong vehicles. The study conducted is split into two stages, Firstly, to frame the standard test conditions and repeatability of the measurement methods using the dynamometer test. Secondly, the on-road emission test to investigate the amount of NOx, SOx emissions compared with conventional diesel fuel [2]. The dynamometer test was conducted for seven different diesel engine brands used in Hong Kong. Three different sources of biodiesel fuels were used for the dynamometer analysis, one of the fuel was produced from the extracted rapeseed oil after filtration and the other two were extracted from the food wastes and market perishables. A group of researchers from the Environmental Protection Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Fire Services Department, and Transport Department, trades, oil companies, biodiesel suppliers headed by Prof. Leung were involved in monitoring the feasibility of using biodiesel as a fuel. This study concluded that there was a slight decrease (-3%) in engine power; a 58% reduction in smoke opacity; a 23% reduction in CO and a 40% reduction in HC. However, there was a 9% increase in NOx concentration [3].

Biodiesel is a renewable source of fuel extracted from vegetable oils, animal fats, food waste, seaweeds, and other sources. It can be used to power the heavy vehicle engines in pure form or blended with conventional diesel fuels. However, not all diesel engines are compatible to use biofuels as it has a different viscosity and flash point compared to conventional fuels. Recently, vehicle manufactures have remodeled the engine to use up to 5% biodiesel blending to power the vehicles. Using a high percentage of biodiesels can cause major engine problems in certain vehicles. As biofuels are not obtained from fossil fuels, it is a renewable source of energy subjected to the climatic conditions. The amount of CO₂ emission from the combustion of biodiesel is equivalent to the CO₂ absorbed by the biodiesel crops during their lifecycle growth. This forms a sustainable environment independent of fossil fuels. Replacing the use of fossil fuel through biofuels will conductively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and subsequently induced climatic changes [4]. In respect of the potential to improve roadside air quality, Euro V diesel and biodiesel are similar [5].

In the interview by the Indian Railway Chief administrative officer, biodiesel blends can decrease up to INR 30000 Crores in fuel imports. Exploring this direction, the Indian Railway has set up an Organisation for Alternative fuels to manufacture biodiesels for use in railway engines. They focused mainly on the Jatropha crops for extracting biofuels, this promoted a huge development in the agricultural sector for harvesting Jatropha oil seeds. At present, the use of a 5% biodiesel blend in railway engines profited annually about 15000 crores INR for Indian Railways [6]. In India, many biodiesel manufacturing industries are developing faster, the first plant has been commissioned in February 2017 at Chennai with a production capacity of 30 tonnes per day. The second plant is set up in Chhattisgarh which will have a potential over 30 tonnes per day. This will become an option for economical biodiesel and we will be able to supply 60 tonnes of biodiesel per day. However, a 5% blend will not take us to a big profit, so researchers are exploring to design an engine with the capacity to combust the fuel with a large blend of biodiesels. It is reported that in India, biodiesel consumption is growing annually by 4%. In 2019, the total consumption accounts for about 185 million liters. Statistically, the quantity of biodiesel procured for blending with conventional diesel for on-road use will be marginally above last year’s level and continued to account for less than has the estimated market for biodiesel.

Considering the growing demand for biodiesel adoption, governments around the world promote strategies to manufacture biodiesel to satisfy the needs of industries, automobiles, and residential power generators. The Union budget 2020 of India, allocated separate funds to boost the biodiesel industries to satisfy the country’s biofuel needs. Industrial experts pointed out that this move will significantly reduce the air pollution caused in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai during peak traffic hours. According to the National Biofuel policy 2018, the government targets to realize a 20% blend of ethanol in petrol and a 5% blend of biodiesel for commercial and residential uses by 2030. State-run oil companies like Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum has launched a scheme to produce biodiesel from used cooking oil from food industries. By this scheme, the biodiesel can be purchased from oil manufacturing companies at a rate of Rs. 45/litre. About 2700 Crore liters of cooling oil is wasted every year, from which 140 crore liters can be collected from bulk consumers like hotels and restaurants, which accounts for about 110 liters of biodiesel production [7].

Our SNB Team recommended this research article to help the reader to know about the use of biodiesel can encourage the agricultural industry and provide self-reliance on automobile fuels which in turn boosts regional economic development. The impact of replacing fossil fuels with biodiesel will be significantly noticed in the environment, and it reduces greenhouse gases up to 86%. It lowers the air particulate matter by 47% and makes the environmental air healthier to breathe. Biodiesel itself is non-toxic and biodegradable, thus accidents like ocean oil spills will be largely controlled.

References

X. Wu, D. Y. C. Leung, Appl. Energy, 88, 3615 (2011).
D. Y. C. Leung et al, Energy Procedia, 142, 2892 (2017).
D. Y. C. Leung, MV 00-153 (2003).
C. R. Coronado et al., Fuel Process. Technol., 90, 204 (2009).
R. Tower, W. Chai, and H. Kong, “ACE Paper 9/2007,” 6 (2009).
https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas
https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/india

Blog Written By

Dr. K. Vaithinathan

Department of Materials science and engineering

City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

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Dr. A. S. Ganeshraja

Dr. S. Chandrasekar

Dr. K. Rajkumar

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