Biofuel: Alternate Energy

Anisur RAHMAN, (Dr.Ag.Sc.)

Associate Professor
Department of Farm Power and Machinery
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
 What are Biofuels ? 2/12

• Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from plant biomass

(living or once living material) and the refned products to
be combusted for energy (heat or light).
• Similar to fossil fuels, biofuels exist in solid, liquid, and
gaseous forms example Charcoal, Biodiesel and Biogas etc.
• Considered as an alternative source of energy.

Importance:
1. Energy security - increasing oil prices, need for alternative
source of energy;
2. To decrease greenhouse gas emission;
3. To promote rural development;
Common types and sources of Biofuels 3/12
Solid biofuels Liquid biofuels Gaseous biofuels
• Firewood • Bioethanol • Biogas
• Wood chips • Biodiesel • Syngas
• Wood pellets • Pyrolysis bio-oil
• Charcoal • Drop-in biofuels
Biofuels carbon Cycle 4/12

Biofuels Eco-friendly
Potential benefts of biofuels 5/12

1. Energy Security
• Domestic energy source
• Locally distributed
• Well connected supply-demand chain
• Higher reliability
2. Economic stability
• Price stability
• Employment generation
• Open new industrial dimensions
• Control on monopoly fossil fuel business

3. Environmental gains
• Better waste utilization
• Reduce local pollution
• Reduce GHGs emission
• from energy consumption
• Reduction in landfll sites
Potential challenges of biofuels 6/12

1. Feedstock
• Collection network
• Storage facilities
• Food-fuel competition

2. Technology
• Pretreatment
• Enzyme production
• Efficiency improvement
• Technology cost
• Production of value added co-products

3. Policy
• Land use change
• Fund for research and development
• Policy for biofuels
• Tax credits on production
• Utilization of biofuels
Conversion (Feedstock's to End fuel) 7/12
Biofuels and Food security 8/12

The question ….

• Have Biofuels really caused the food crisis ?

• Should we support Biofuels ?

Biofuels and Food security 9/12

Myth in the Media

• Biofuels compete directly with food for land
• We must choose between food and fuel
MISLEADING about food price will increased due to
biofuels

Reality!
• Rapid growing population;
• Widespread crop failures;
• High price of fossil fuel increased the production &
shipping cost;
Decreasing or halting biofuels production will
not reduce the global hunger
How can we support Biofuels? 10/12

• Grow Biofuels without harming the environment or

displacing food crop lands
• Explore more waste lands (non-cultivate lands).
• Commercialize Second and Future /Third Generation
Biofuels – from Cellulose and Algae (Non-food source)

So, It’s a
good
 References 11/12
• Guo, M., Song, W., & Buhain, J. (2015). Bioenergy and biofuels:
History, status, and perspective. Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews, 42, 712–725.

• Nigam, P. S., & Singh, A. (2011). Production of liquid biofuels

from renewable resources. Progress in Energy and Combustion
Science, 37(1), 52–68.

• Food as Biofuels presentation (https://www.slideshare.net/mjrulzz

/biofuels-33429450, accessed on 03.09.2018)

• Website…
 Next class 12/12

• Details process about Bioethanol, and Biodiesel

Questions?
?