Biofuels: Nature's Power for a Cleaner Future

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and technology

Anja Tadić Key Benefits
Biofuels are fuels produced Generations of biofuels Lower greenhouse gas emissions: Biofuels
from biological materials, which release only the carbon absorbed during plant
First-generation: Made from edible crops
include plant and animal growth, completing the carbon cycle.
such as corn, sugarcane, and soybean oil.
remains. Given the growing High energy efficiency: Biodiesel yields 4.5
These were the first type of biofuels
concerns about the environment energy units per fossil unit used, compared to
developed and are still the most commonly
and global warming, biofuels are less than 1 for petroleum diesel.
used.
increasingly recognized as a Sustainability: Biofuels are a cleaner
Second-generation: Derived from non-
viable alternative to fossil fuels. alternative to their fossil fuel counterpart.
edible sources like agricultural waste,
Improved air quality: They reduce harmful
forestry residues, and inedible oils. Their
particles’ release, lowering risks of respiratory
Challenges production requires more advanced
and other diseases.
technologies, including enzymatic
High cost: Production requires breakdown and fermentation.
Third-generation: Produced from algae or Biofuels represent a key
substantial investment in component in the transition to a
infrastructure and technology. other microorganisms. Algae can produce
more sustainable energy future.
Production process is complex and oils directly, which can be refined into
Their advantages make them an
expensive, resulting in biofuel’s biodiesel or jet fuel. These biofuels have
indispensable part of the energy
limiting access to consumers. much higher potential yields compared to policy of many countries. Further
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: When crop-based options. research and technological
Biofuels have been used for centuries, with early advances are likely to improve
sourced from previously forested land
civilizations using plant oils and animal fats for lighting and the efficiency and cost-
or converted land, their production
heating. effectiveness of biofuels, thereby
and use may increase emissions.
• Before the petroleum industry began making petroleum increasing their contribution to
Land Use Issues: Cultivating biofuel
diesel fuel, the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolph the global fight against climate
crops often requires large areas of
diesel, experimented with vegetable oil as fuel. change. With the right approach
land, leading to concerns like
• Henry ford, Ford Motor Company’s founder, believed and support, biofuels can play a
deforestation, habitat destruction, soil
that renewable resources were the key to the success of significant role in creating a more
erosion, biodiversity loss, and water
his automobiles that he designed them to be run with sustainable and cleaner world.
pollution.
ethanol.