Biofuel production biodiesel

Cereals can yield around 1500-3000 litres of gasoline equivalent (lge)/ha sugarcane, 3000-6000 lge/ha sugarheet, 2000-4000 lge/ha vegetable oil crops, 700-1300 litres of diesel equivalent (lde)/ha and palm oil, 2500-3000 lde/ha (IEA, 2007). In addition, there are novel biofuel production processes under development, for example biodiesel from marine algae, which are claimed to have a 15 times higher yield per ha than rapeseed. 

Biofuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol are, for now, the main alternatives to fossil fuels for the most polluting activities related to transportation. Presently, feedstocks for biofuels production are all of natural origin and as such are subject to uncontrolled seasonal variations. For economic reasons the purchase of these feedstocks from different parts of the world follows the dynamics of commodities markets. ... 

Byproducts of biofuel production are glycerin and lignin. The production of each gallon of biodiesel also produces a pound of glycerin. These materials can be used to replace oil-based products with bio-based ones. It is expected that in the decades to come, the development of the biofuel industry will result in the building of multiproduct biorefineries. 

A study commissioned by the International Energy Agency and carried out by the Austrian Bio-fuels Institute in the late 1990s identified 21 countries around the world in which bio-firel projects with a commercial objective have been implemented. The European Union still leads in research into biofuels and biodiesel production has also increased in the USA, with the most modem multi-feed-stock (MFS) biodiesel plant located in Kentucky. 

In the modern 00-rape the > C 20 fatty acids have been reduced to trace fractions in favour of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, resulting in a fatty acids spectrum similar to olive oil. Characteristics of 00-rape are the most appropriate to fulfil the European biodiesel standards. As a result, the EU-27 are now the by far largest rapeseed oil consumers, and the astounding growth in European demand has been driven almost exclusively by the expansion of the biofuels sector over recent years. Fifty percent of European rapeseed production in 2005 has been turned into biodiesel, 37% has been used for human consumption, 7% for oleochemical products and lubricants 6% has been exported. In 2007 the rape oil demand for biofuels has accounted for 60% of rape oil consumption. Rape-based biofuels include biodiesel and direct use as refined oil. 

The annual biofuel production was about 40 billion 1 in 2006, 90 % of which was bioethanol, the rest in the form biodiesel. Some properties of these alternative fuels are described in the next paragraphs. 

The increasing energy demands have directed the attention to renewable resources for the fabrication of biofuels. The exploitation of feedstocks containing polysaccharides other than cellulose is of interest for biofuel production. The aspects of the production of biofuels, including biodiesel, bioethanol, methane, and hydrogen are subject of a detailed monograph (1)... 

Biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel have always been controversial regarding food vs fuel and fuel vs arable land. PHA-based biofuel production from wastewater or from activated sludge enjoys the advantages of wastewater treatment accompanied by energy generation. These results unlock a new area for PHA application in the energy sector. 

In 2011, approximately 20Mio mto of vegetable oil was transformed into biofuel, mainly biodiesel. The geographical production of oil-based biofuel is mainly located in Europe (8.6Mio mto), the United States (1.5 Mio mto), and Brazil (0.5 Mio mto). ... 

Jackson, R. (2007). The BHR Biofuels intensified biodiesel production route. Proceedings of the 15th PIN Meeting, Cranfield University, October. See www.pinetwork.org. 

The above outline highlights the need for liquid transportation fuels, particularly for the aviation and maritime transport applications. Already well established is the use of ethanol typically as blend-in fuel (E5 or ElO). A whole range of other biofuels is on the horizon, produced via chemical, physicochemical, or biological means. This review focuses on the role of prokaryotes in the production of biofuels. Prokaryotes are highly versatile catalysts for the production of both specialty and bulk biochemicals, and the present need for liquid biofuels gives major impetus to research on prokaryotic biofuel production. We will discuss the known feedstocks for biofuel production, production via pure cultures and microbial populations, and light-driven biodiesel generation. Finally, perspectives for prokaryote research and development in this field will be provided. 

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