Biofuel in Transportation Industry: Biodiesel, Bioethanol & More

Biofuel
Manufacturing
Types
Environment
UAE transport industry

Decreasing carbon footprint has been a major goal in the sustainability drive all over the world. One of the campaigns in this regard has been the introduction of alternative fuels to the traditional petrol and diesel in the transport industry. Biofuel has emerged as one of the useful fuel alternatives to replace or at least alleviate the use of fossil fuels.

Here is a detailed guide including some interesting facts about biofuels in the transportation industry.

What are Biofuels?

Biofuels are liquid fuels, renewable resources of energy that use natural sources such as biomass for their production as opposed to traditional petrol and diesel-generated from non-renewable fossil fuels. Biomass here means plants, animal waste and algae.

When used as a source of energy, biofuel has found its way into the transportation industry. Scientists and manufacturers are using and exploring it along with synthetic fuels to power ships, aeroplanes and cars.

Biofuels Manufacturing

Biofuels are made by different methods utilising different sources such as algae, plant and animal waste. However, all methods involve chemical reactions and use heat and fermentation for the breakdown of sugars, starches and other molecules in biomass.

Finally, machines refine the products of this reaction to produce biofuel for powering different vehicles. Due to its sustainability, the production of biofuel from waste is becoming quite popular.

Types of Biofuel

There are different types of biofuels available in the market so far. These include:

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is made from fats like animal fat, vegetable oil and recycled grease. It is usually used mixed with petroleum-based diesel with as much as 20% of the fuel being biodiesel. Pure biodiesel may not perform well especially in winters.

On the other hand, renewable biodiesel is a more sustainable option derived from plant waste or fats. You can use it without blending it with petrol-diesel.

Bioethanol

Derived from cash crops such as corn, sugar cane and soybeans, bioethanol is also a potential substitute to petrol in the transportation industry. You can use it as a stand-alone as well as blended with petrol-based fuel and does not require car engine modifications.

Algae-based biofuels

Relatively a new source of natural fuels, scientists are tapering algae-based biofuels for their potential. However, until now their usage has been promoted in planes, ships and trucks. It will take some time to make algae biofuels mainstream enough to be used in cars.

Biofuel and the Environment

Biofuels are sustainable and environmentally friendly and are considered a greener option along with electric and hybrid cars. These are renewable resources of energy, sequestered without the fear of depletion. They can be made by fermenting biomass that includes waster organic compounds as well catering to the two of the 3 R’s of environmental sustainability – recycle and reuse.

Furthermore, biofuels burn cleaner than petroleum-based fuels. This means the efficiency for burning is better in a car engine resulting in lesser carbon emissions. In addition to the significantly reduced carbon emissions, the source of biofuels act as a carbon sink. This means that the biomass, while it is growing, captures the carbon dioxide in the environment. Combining these two factors, we get a considerably cleaner environment by the use of biofuels compared to the traditional fuels.

Biofuel in the UAE transport industry

The introduction and production of biofuel in the UAE transport industry can have a long-term positive impact on the sustainability goals. The use will be in accordance with the UAE’s 2050 sustainability goals of cutting GHG emissions by 50%. However, tapping into this newfound source of renewable energy is a slow process in the emirates for now. It is likely to increase the pace with the passing time.

Here are some of the cases where the UAE transportation industry has shown interest in biofuels as a source of energy:

Adnoc’s Logistics & Services arm is interested in testing biofuel as a fuel option for ships
One of the Dubai-based biorefinery working at the forefront of biofuel revolution in the region is the Neutral Fuels, responsible for converting waste vegetable oils into biodiesel for powering school buses, delivery cars and other forms of transport
The government is opening up to the idea of developing market architecture for biofuels which would include building policies, investor awareness and proper infrastructure

In short, there is still a long way to go before biofuels can become a common sight in the UAE. However, the path has been paved as awareness is increasing. Check out the biofuel vs fossil fuel comparison to see which has more advantages.

This is all about the emergence of biofuels in the transport industry. Several brands offer compatibility with biofuels in their more recent models. While we wait for such models to become mainstream, here are some used cars for sale from those brands:

For more information on alternative fuel and eco-friendly innovations, stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog.