Debates on Promising Future of Biofuels

Biofuels are economically feasible with a promising one and a renewable option to the petroleum fuels probably to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions.

A novel handful of drop-in the replacement of biofuels for the conventional transportation fuels have been down recently from a selected list of over 10,000 potential candidates as part from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative.

Figure 1. Counter think: Fuel vs food. (Image Credit: to SNB team).

Yahya et al., and Majumdar et al., have investigated on “biofuels produced from processed waste and non-food feedstocks which may be implemented either neat or blended components into existing fuels to reduce reliance on liquid fossils with little change to the existing infrastructure” in their research papers published in Nature (2012) [1,2].

The biofuels choice were mainly depends upon their composition, other physical and chemical properties, which can exhibit similar properties to conventional fossil fuels, while potentially reduce its net carbon emissions. One of the most studied biofuel has been successfully blended with fossil fuels is ‘ethanol’. Therefore various researcher’s have been focused on the biofuel combustion work for the past 3 decades mainly on ethanol blends. However, ethanol possess some advantages on biofuel such as high combustion temperature, relatively low energy density, producing little soot, poor seal compatibility, and hydrophilicity. Therefore, researchers have examined a variety of other biofuels to replace or augment the fossil fuels over the last decade (2010–2020).

To this end, the Co-Optima Project has initiated by the U.S. Federal Government, in this project, they mainly focus to explore and implement the different fuel feedstocks for the transportation based internal combustion engines. The main aim of this project is to utilize the existing infrastructure systems to complement a novel energy conversion methods for future vehicles to obtain carbon neutral transportation. For example diisobutylene (DIB) is one of the biofuel developed from Co-Optima funded project, which can be produced from the dehydration and dimerization of isobutanol realized from the fermentation of biomass derived sugars by Saccharomyces cerevisiae [3].

Advantages of DIB:

Dramatic reductions in NO output over iso-octane.
Stability to oligomerization and polymerization even when exposed to sunlight.
Compatibility with existing seal and O-ring materials.

Limitation of DIB:

Commonly, DIB produce two types of isomers such as 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene (α-DIB) and 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene (β-DIB).
With a formation enthalpy difference of only 3.51 kJ/mol, the production of a single isomer during this process is not currently cost effective.

Soil ecotoxicity of biofuels: Very few studies have been conducted on soil ecotoxicity of biofuels. This is one of the emerging fields of work in environmental studies because the fuels and their components were accumulated in soil and many soil organisms are exposed to this pollution. Recently, M. Hawrot‑Paw et al., have analyzed the reaction of higher plants and soil organisms (microbial communities and invertebrates). They have also comparatively analyzed the ecotoxicity of both conventional diesel oil and other two types of biodiesel (commercial and laboratory-made). The results of ecotoxicity tests indicate that some of the organisms can be used for biological remediation of soils that are contaminated with fuels, including biodiesel. Further studies are required to determine the toxicity effect of biodiesel and to conduct detailed analysis of the physicochemical properties of soils after contamination with fuels [4].

Making liquid biofuel from plant materials is a controversial approach to securing our energy future.

In 2013, Hen Dotan, Hatmut Michel (Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1988), Steven Chu (Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997), Stafford Sheehan and Heather Mayes debate the pros and cons of biofuels and solar electricity for Nature Video [5].

Heather Mayes: The costs of converting biomass waste to fuel have decreased by more than two-thirds since 2001, and transport difficulties can be reduced by building biorefineries near agricultural centres.

Stafford Sheehan: The peoples were preferred the path of least resistance, and thus favour the easiest way to convert and store energy. The low rate of production of biofuels and their geographic dependence are not sustainable, especially given in our planet’s growing population.

Solar cells can convert energy more effectively than biofuel crops, and a solution to our energy needs. However, this solar energy technology is not suitable for all applications, for all parts of the world. The main issue of this technology is the lack of a good way to store the energy with a density approaching that of the gasoline.

In this case, we need a new technology. Scientists have also investigated the artificial photosynthesis - the conversion of sunlight to chemical energy, stored in molecular bonds within a fuel. Artificial photosynthesis have required very less land than biofuel crops and has a higher production rate, so it will be probably our primary source of renewable fuel in the near future.

Hen Dotan: Artificial photosynthesis devices are already mature enough to be implemented in remote locations where it is difficult to supply conventional fuels. Further progress, stimulated by government subsidies, could make this technology competitive with fossil fuels within ten years.

“I am worry about that the fossil fuels will be replaced by inefficient and polluting biofuels despite there being an better alternative. Even if the global regulations are within the limit of biofuel feedstock to agricultural and forest wastes, as suggested by Mayes, We should focus on the artificial photosynthesis research and implementation to ensure the sustainable fuel production”.

--- Hen Dotan, Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

Biofuels possess two major drawbacks:

(i) Inefficient production and (ii) Biofuels still lead to polluting vehicle exhaust emissions.

Our SNB team have emphasize this research article to enrich our viewer’s knowledge about the biofuels production with a economically feasible to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. Depending upon the fuel types, these emissions might be lower than for conventional fossil fuels (although the evidence is currently inconclusive) but they are not pollution-free. New technology should be taken into account for the abundance of resources and it uses. The artificial photosynthesis will be our long-term energy provider, as this technology is not ready as of now. Plenty of basic research needs to be done at first. Until then, biofuels remain only a viable fuel option. However, the biofuels can serve as a feasible one with high production rate which is going to be a promising one and a renewable option to the petroleum fuels in the near future.

References

P. P. Peralta-Yahya, et al., Nature 488, 320 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11478.
S. Chu, and A. Majumdar, Nature 488, 294 (2012). https://doi. org/10.1038/nature11475.
A. C. Terracciano, et al., Scientifc Reports, 10, 21776 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76462-y.
M. Hawrot‑Paw, et al., Scientific Reports, 10, 16436 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73469-3.
S. Chu, et al., Nature 502, S60-S61 (2013).

--- Dr. A. S. Ganeshraja

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