Biofuels economic impact

There is not only a need but also an urge to use waste biomass resources in the production of biofuels, due to the many envirorunental and economic impacts from the conventional fossil-based transportation fuels. The conversion routes applied to biomass for fuel production widely include thermo-chemical, hydrothermal and biochemical. All the three conversion methods are well-suited to achieve the energy requirements for being ecofriendly processes. However, in the present context both thermochemical and hydro-thermal conversion are foimd effective to produce an energy dense liquid bio-oil that could not only be used as a transportation fuel but also for heat and power generation. 

Demirbas, A. 2008. Economic and environmental impacts of the liquid biofuels. Energy Edu Sci Technol 22 37-58. 

Demirbas A. Political, economic and environmental impacts of biofuels a review. Appl Energy 2009 86 108-117. 

The authors stated that the sustainability assessment of biofuels shall be conducted through a multicriterial approach, and indicated a list of important issues to be investigated, such as the contribution to GHG emissions reduction land use and carbon stock changes induced by the growing demand for biofuels the efficiency of produced fertilizers the utilization of coproducts and residues the impact of biofuel production on water resources and soil, social, (e.g., food prices) and economic (i.e., production costs) issues. 

Fasahati, P., Liu, JJ., 2015. Economic, energy, and environmental impacts of alcohol dehydration technology on biofuel production from brown algae. Energy 93, 2321—2336. Available at http //www.sdencedited.eom/sdence/aiticle/pii/S0360544215015017 (accessed 25.11.15.). 

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