After the biodiesel tax incentive policy was renewed in 2010, the biodiesel industry within the US has started to get back on its feet once again. But, even the advanced biodiesel has its limitations, for example, it cannot be used in cars that still have rubber pipes in them because the rubber is known to react with the biodiesel. This makes all the vehicles that were made before 1992, unsuitable for biodiesel usage. Even in the modern DPF vehicles, biodiesel may react with the ECU injected chemical in the fuel system if it is used without diesel. Properly combining diesel and biodiesel would of course eliminate the problem. There are other problems associated with biodiesel as well, but moving on to biofuel as a whole, the biggest problem is the fact that the infrastructure of the biofuel industry still needs millions of dollars to remove all the major limitations and make it a viable source of energy.

It is true that some of the problems like the “food or fuel” controversy are now being addressed as scientists are now looking for non-edible sources of biofuel like certain algae species or the unused cellulosic portions of trees to take the pressure off from food crops. But unfortunately, even when a non-edible crop is chosen for biofuel production, tracts of land are required to grow that particular crop and thus deforestation follows. Deforestation is followed by soil erosion and ultimately the destruction of an entire natural habitat. Apart from the economic and the ecological problems, the emission of green house gases associated with biofuel production and utilization also cannot be ignored as the levels of emission have at times been found to even surpass that of the fossil fuels. Our best hopes of a perfect petroleum replacement lie with the next generation biofuels and technological improvements in the future, but at this moment, even the Advanced Biofuels are not without a few limitations.

Although biodiesel is indeed a very advanced form of biofuel capable of competing with the traditional diesel, but it is not possible at this moment for biodiesel to compete without tax incentives. The tax incentive is designed to keep the price of biodiesel such that it remains competitive with the current price of diesel. The tax incentive is vital to the survival and growth of the biodiesel industry and to understand the negative impact that removing the biodiesel tax incentive can have, one only needs to take a look at what happened when it was discontinued after the earlier policy expired on December 31st, 2009. The biodiesel industry within the country started to fail miserably to keep the costs down to competitive levels and thus sales took a consequential downfall. The new policy is put into use now in order to rebuild what was lost during the lapse and take the biodiesel production to a whole new level. It must be kept in mind that biodiesel is not only seen as a green fuel that will benefit the environment and slow the depletion rate of fossil fuels, but it is also seen as a way to reduce, and possibly in the future, completely eliminate the need to export petroleum from the Middle East. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) have also expressed positivity and hope on the matter of biodiesel being an all round solution to a lot of problems that have come up regarding petroleum derived diesel these days. NBB is highly hopeful that the active tax incentives will help the biodiesel industry achieve all that is being hoped from it and more.

Some of the second generation biofuels however, are able to counter a few of these problems with advanced genetic and technical modifications to better suit the needs and cause fewer issues. Algae fuel, cellulosic ethanol, DMF, Fischer-Tropsch diesel and biomethanol are some of the names that form a part of the new series of advanced biofuels. The main focus of these biofuels is to extract fuel from such sources that are not used by man or animals as food so that the process of manufacturing does not upset the ecological balance. These fuels target mainly waste products like Lignocellulose, saw dust or peels from certain fruits to manufacture the biofuel alternatives. Algae fuel seems to be one of the best bets for the future as far as biofuels are concerned because of the capability of certain algae species to produce a lot from less. Other advantages of algae fuel are that the production of fuel from algae does not contribute to the carbon dioxide emissions like the previous generation biofuels. With each passing day, the next generation biofuels are improving on the issues that were present with earlier generation of the biofuels. These are now being manufactured from different sources while keeping all the serious issues of the past in mind and consequently giving us the hopes of a better, greener tomorrow.

Apart from the most obvious and also the most significant problem of higher price, there are other factors to be considered about biofuel as well. For example, the process of creating certain biofuels like biodiesel is not friendly to the environment at all. Some of the production procedures involve a lot of carbon gas emissions which are just as degrading for the environment as are the fumes released by vehicles which run on fossil fuel, if not more. Also, the “green” fuels may in most cases not be very effective in helping the ecology if entire forests are destroyed in order to make room for farming the crops (biomass) which are necessary for the production of certain biofuels. These are sadly the dark sides of biofuels which contrast one of the two main reasons that they were invented for, which is to save the environment. Another immediate impact that crop based biofuels would have on our lives is that if they became more popular as fuel crops, then there would definitely be a surge in the price of the food crops and thereby a shortage may also be unavoidable. This raises the question, what is more important, Food or fuel? However, the second generation and third generation biofuels that are derived from fungus (Gliocladium roseum) and algae (Botryococcus braunii, chlorella vulgaris) are a revelation. As these are not food crops, but it is yet possible to turn the biomass in them to biofuel, the pressure on food crops can at least be avoided. Even then, other adverse effects like soil erosion, deforestation, air pollution and all else make it clear that biofuels still have a long way to go before it can be established as a more dependable solution to our world’s fuel needs.

First Generation Biofuels

Bioalcohols — There are chiefly three main types of first generation bioalcohols, ethanol, propanol and butanol, the last two being the less used ones while the first is the most popular bioalcohol. Bioalcohols are most commonly used as an alternative to gasoline in car engines, but certain types of fireplaces also have the use for them.

Biogas — Biogas is actually methane gas and it is produced when anaerobic microbes act on biomass. It is often collected from certain biological waste treatment facilities that fit the profile. Depending on the condition of the biogas, it can be used for electricity production, fueling a vehicle, water heating and much more.

Bioethers — These oxygenated fuels are popular as octane rating enhancers. Bioethers not only help the engine perform better and last longer, they also reduce harmful pollutant emissions from vehicles.

Biodiesel — It is extensively used in Europe, especially England. The biofuel is produced from food crops like mahua, mustard, hemp, algae, rapeseed, sunflower and many others. When compiled properly with mineral diesel, biodiesel can serve well as a car fuel.

Green Diesel — Although they serve the same function, the chemical composition of the green diesel is different from that of the biodiesel. Also, green diesel is not produced through transesterification, unlike biodiesel.

Vegetable Oil — Vegetable oil mostly serves as the primary material from which biodiesel is derived.

Syngas — Produced through a procedure which involves burning biomass in insufficient oxygen and combining carbon monoxide with hydrogen, syngas is another diesel replacement and its main use is as a car fuel.

Solid Biofuels — Solid Biofuels include mainly throw away byproducts like household garbage, agricultural waste, sawdust, mowed or cut grass etc, but wood, charcoal, non-food energy crops also are solid biofuels as well. A common problem with solid biofuels is the fact that they pollute the air a lot due to particulates and hydrocarbon emissions.

Second Generation Biofuels

Cellulosic Biofuels — biohydrogen, biomethanol, bioDME, biogydrogen diesel and many other forms of biofuels are derived from cellulose and they are categorized under the second generation biofuels.

Cellulosic Ethanol — It is a hard process but it makes it possible to use the food crops more for feeding human beings and animals and less for producing energy.

Myco-Diesel — The discovery of the roseum fungus has made it possible for scientists to try and use its ability to convert cellulose into hydrocarbons, in producing myco-diesel.

Third Generation Biofuels

Algae Fuel — Algae are greater yielders of energy than most food crops and they also reduce the pressure off the food crops and that too at a much cheaper price.

Algae Ethanol — Algae ethanol is unique in the way it is obtained. Most, if not all biofuels are obtained by using the living or non-living biomass to generate the fuel, but algae ethanol is a natural product of certain algae species itself.

Distillates — Jet fuel, gasoline as well as diesel can also be produced from algae through biocatalytic cracking and fractional distillation.

Fourth Generation Biofuel

Under this category, there is nothing new that needs to be explained because the category is differentiated from the previous generations on the basis of the mode of biofuel manufacturing. The modes and methods include gasification, solar-to-fuel, genetic enhancement and modification and pyrolysis among others.

As mentioned above, there has been no dearth of roadblocks as far as the widespread endorsement of biofuels is concerned. For instance, the inhibiting set up costs of biofuel processing units remain the most stern opposing force to the development of biofuel ventures. The cause and effect laws also come into play, the result being that the raw materials of biofuels, such as corn and soya bean, are exhibiting rising cost curves. Also, the fact that the biofuels are seldom self sufficient to replace coal and petroleum completely also aggravates the situation and casts a shadow of doubt on the future.

What keeps the hopes alive is the assertion that biofuels are the best bet for mankind to achieve low carbon levels. There is definitely a lot of substance in this, and this fuels the attempts towards a brighter and cleaner future. Ethanol is regarded as the basic biofuel example. Research work professes that the efficiency of biofuel production per acre from farms can be augmented through plantation of five to six perennial grasses alongside each other. This opens up the gates to a fascinating future where such farms would ac as carbon sinks, apart from the expected role of fuel producers. Biofuels’ future would depend heavily upon as to how scientists, scholars and agriculturists can complement each other to build upon the remarkable theory and ultimately execute it.

Future work also aims at putting to use the degraded lands in order to make them work as dedicated biofuel producing farms. Apart from this, the focus would be on overcoming and eliminating the hassles of radical land-use changes in agriculture to implement biofuel production. The lack of knowledge among the farmers and farm owners, and their natural disinclination to revamp their agricultural practices for biofuel experiments act as bottlenecks for the biofuel industry. State governments would do well to intervene and dole out substantial incentives for farmers. Economists argue that biofuel production would upset the land economics of the world, as the stress upon land caused due to compensated commercial yields (in lieu of a healthy environment courtesy pollution free bio-fuels) would catapult the costs of the edible farm yields as well as the farms itself. This, in a way, is the most prominent threat to the future of biofuels. The trade-off between a clean environment and sliced profit making is a decision upon which the future of biofuels hinges, and only time will tell as to whether biofuels are able to contribute substantially towards the quest of a green and healthy environment.

Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is a prominent biofuel, and it is made from fatty acid esters. Ethanol is not an absolute alternative for diesel, but is efficient when used in addition with gasoline. Agricultural products like sugarcane and corn, when made to undergo well planned fermentation, gives a mix of mater and ethanol which is further distilled to derive pure ethanol. Ethanol biofuel is based on the phenomenon of starch decomposition in the presence of yeast and moisture. Ethanol is then used extensively in the automotive industry as it performs the functions offered by the usual polluting locomotive oils, without any harmful impact on the environment. The popularity of ethanol as a biofuel is evident from the fact that automobile industries are going all out towards research aimed at more efficient biofuel compatible engines.

Biodiesel is another popular biofuel that is making rapid inroads towards widespread application of green energy. These oils are rich in a chemical substance called triglyceride, which can be manipulated with the addition of alcohols and catalysts to give a mixture of fatty acid esters and glycerol. These fatty acid esters are nothing but an untreated form of biodiesel, which can be used to run diesel engines. Soy farms in countries like United States are eagerly implementing the systems to convert farm produce into biodiesel.

Taking a more insightful view of the physical phenomenon occurring all the time around us, it becomes evident that the whole concept of biofuels derives a lot from the ultimate energy source – the Sun. Plants use sunlight for photosynthesis, and accumulate glucose content in their bodies, which constitutes the basic material which further develops into a more useful form such as vegetable oil. Biofuels can be made from any organic material that has a sufficient content of desired chemical properties. Scientists and researchers are trying to replicate this reasoning and explore the possibilities of extracting biofuels out of unconventional sources, such as industrial and household wastes. Waste treatment with the aim of converting it to a fuel form is a pretty nascent ideology, and there isn’t much to talk about as yet. But the impressive showing of the biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel is sufficient incentive to the concerned authorities for pursuing the goal of creating efficient and viable biofuels that can replace the presently used polluting and exhaustible fuels.

In order to appreciate the benefits that biofuels provide, one only has to consider the abundance in which the raw material for such fuels is available. Animal and plant body decomposition takes place in colossal magnitudes each second, and having an efficient mechanism to transform it all into useful energy would be nothing short of a huge leap towards an energy-ensured future. The conventional fossil fuels have a number attached to them, and this numeric count gets decremented by each passing day. A world without energy would be a world without life, and this hard fact makes biofuel a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.

Ethanol is a prominent biofuel, used as a clean burning fuel for automobiles, in congregation with gasoline. Ethanol makes a considerable percentage of the chemical mixture used as fuel to run automotives in developed countries like the United States. Derived from corns, ethanol presents a viable replacement to core fossil fuel based fuels like petroleum and diesel. Quite obviously, there is no pollution rider with fuel production from organic products such as corns.

Biofuel is considered renewable because it is often made from biomass produced from vegetative matter. Fossil fuels like oil and coal are considered finite resources because they exist in limited quantities and are produced over the course of millions of years through natural processes that cannot be controlled by humans. On the other hand, biofuels are often made from crops that can be replanted. Biofuel can also be made from organic waste matter, another source that is constantly replenishing itself. On similar lines, vegetable oils and animal fats can be transformed into a fuel form, more popularly called biodiesel. This organic fuel can be efficiently used with diesel engines, making its utility viable for farm owners who need fuel for their diesel based farm equipments.

The benefits of biofuels are numerous, but none so important than the environment friendly nature of their working. The greenhouse gas emission related with biofuels is negligible when compared to the corresponding emissions from fossil fuels. Not only the celestial degradation, but also the ground and surface water degradation have been checked through the endorsement of organic fuels by locomotive industries all over the world. Biofuels have also opened up an arena of infinite possibilities for farmers who can put into place transformation mechanisms of creating biofuels from farm wastes.

The study also said at present the price announced for the Bio-diesel Policy must be checked and adjusted that should support the investment and the required growth of bio-diesel sectors. The Jatropha bio-diesel price must be increased Rs.36 per litre for the Indian Bio-diesel industry suitable growth. The government must enter in this by making a suitable policy support that is expected to have grants, incentives and distribution mechanism that will help in making the price self sustainable, the study said.

The policy support must have an average procurement price at Rs.6,000 per tonne to guarantee so the people must not grow fuel crops by utilizing the agricultural land instead of foodgrains. The study said by doing this it will create a bio-diesel demand which will speed up the development of the industry by checking it regularly or annually. It also added that bio-diesel doping by 2% which is produced by Jatropha plant in diesel may save Rs.3,000 crore and also provide Rs.5,500 crore of revenues in the rural economy.

This kind of plan is expected to support in decreasing 3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emission annually. The change in the oil market pricing is also expected to affect the crude oil imports in the country which will lead to financial burden on global economy. The study also said to avoid all these kind of problems the bio-diesel must be used as an addition to the fossil diesel with the help from policy, financial, technological interventions.

The greatest advantage of biofuels is the fact that they are a renewable source of energy and they can also be used in order to make use of the depleting fossil fuels more efficiently. If a biofuel is emitting much less greenhouse gases as well as pollutants, then it is obviously a healthier and “greener” alternative to petroleum-based fuels, so bio-fuels pose les threat on our health. Another big advantage that biofuels have over fossil fuels is the fact that if they are used, they will surely reduce costs, both in terms of production and foreign import expenses.

Now that we have mostly covered the good regarding the use of biofuels, let us consider some issues that are preventing it from becoming as popular as it should be by now. The main forms of biofuel are biodiesel and ethanol; both are made from food crops. This is the point where the problem starts as using the oil, stem and other parts of the plants to produce biofuel means that a huge portion of the food crops that are produced will not be available for consumption anymore, thus it may create a food shortage. This is a big and very practical problem as food comes before fuel as a basic necessity for the sustenance of life.

Ironical to the fact that biofuels are made to reduce pollution and preserve our planet other than also serving our fuel needs, it is leading to mass deforestation. Rainforests are being replaced by palm trees everyday because it is a source of palm oil, from which biodiesel is manufactured. Before the manufacture of biodiesel started, palm oil was used mainly for consumption purposes, but now that it has another use, the pressure for production has also increased and thus the deforestation has also speeded up.

As it can be seen clearly, along with advantages of biofuels, there are also other negative factors that require careful evaluation as well. We cannot shift to biodiesel or ethanol totally from petroleum, because it will create several other unavoidable problems, but what is required is a balanced use of the biofuels and clear instructions by the government regarding the entire matter. Also required, is education and spread of knowledge about the entire situation, so that people can understand and act accordingly. What is the point of replacing petroleum with biofuels, if it solves one problem, but leads to a bunch of others?