As the world works to end its reliance on fossil fuels, biofuels are quickly becoming a heavyweight in the renewables ring. If you’re wondering what the fuss is all about, here’s a quick rundown on what biofuels are, what challenges they can help us overcome in the energy transition, and what shortcomings to keep an eye on. 

What are biofuels?

Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels created from organic materials (European Commission). These organic materials are commonly called biomass, and include everything from wood and animal waste, to plant and crop residues. 

How are biofuels created?

It depends on which biofuel we’re talking about, as this green fuel tends to wear a lot of hats. 

Biofuels are generally created when chemical reactions from heat and/or fermentation break down the starches and sugars of the biomass, which are then refined to create biofuels (Nat Geo). First-generation biofuels are created from sugar-starch feedstocks, while second-generation biofuels are made from non-fuel biomass, like plant and animal waste (UNCTAD).

One of the most commonly used biofuels is ethanol, a clear alcohol that is often blended with gasoline to reduce the GHG intensity of the fuel. Ethanol is created by fermenting the sugars from plants – corn and sugarcane being the most widely used in the US, and sugar beets in the UK. 

Another example of a biofuel is biogas, which is generated when organic matter is broken down by microorganisms via anaerobic digestion. The resulting methane is then captured to be used as a source of energy. 

What are the advantages of biofuels?

In certain situations, biofuels are considered a simple swap for fossil fuels. For example, biodiesel made from soybeans is not only a renewable source of energy, but is also capable of running conventional diesel engines.

By side-stepping the need to replace traditional fossil fuel-powered cars with electric vehicles, we can avoid generating the embodied carbon of manufacturing EVs whilst still cutting back on carbon emissions and improving air quality. Wins all around, wouldn’t you say? (Psst… Be sure to read on to the next section, ‘What are some concerns around biofuels’, for some nuance). 

Biofuels are also considered the silver bullet for decarbonising areas of transport that are difficult to electrify. Take passenger aircrafts for example: these large planes are an estimated 50 years away from being fully electrified, due to the size and weight of the battery required to fly a standard passenger plane. 

Are our green holiday dreams scuppered? Maybe not: biofuels can be used by conventional aircrafts, and have a higher energy density than batteries – hence why many see biofuels as the key to a net zero aviation industry. Watch this space. 

What are some concerns around biofuels?

In There Is No Planet B, Mike Berners-Lee warns that demand for biofuels could lead to food scarcity amongst vulnerable groups, if crops are grown for fuel rather than food. 

First-generation biofuels are already the third greatest cause of loss to the global human supply chain, with 810kcal per person per day currently going towards biofuels production (There Is No Planet B). 

Second-generation biofuels are seen as a much better option, as they’re created from waste products. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that only 7% of biofuels came from wastes and residues in 2020, meaning that most of our global biofuel supply is still created from crops. 

According to the IEA’s Net Zero Scenario, the world must achieve a 14% average annual growth in biofuel production between 2021 and 2030 if we’re to successfully decarbonise the global economy by 2050. Robust legislation – to ensure that biofuels are being created sustainably and without harm to food security and biodiversity – must be implemented alongside this growth. 

The good news is that some legislation is already in place. The UK has mandated that no more than 2% of their transport fuel can come from ‘starch-rich crops, sugars, oil crops or main crops’. Definitely a step in the right direction.

Likewise, the EU has imposed limits on biofuels that pose a high risk to indirect land use change (i.e. transforming forests, peatlands and wetlands for agricultural use) as part of their Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The RED stipulates that European member states can still use and import these high-risk biofuels from elsewhere, but they cannot count them towards their renewables target. 

However, according to the IEA, Asia is set to become the leading producer of biofuels by 2026. In Dr Mark Elder’s book A Regional Perspective on Biofuels in Asia, he warns that since there is ‘no comparable initiative [to RED] in East Asia’ this could lead to ‘large-scale diversion of land from other uses such as food production’ and further pressure on the environment in the area. 

Biofuels and the energy transition

Biofuel is just one of the energy sources we will use to decarbonise the world by 2050. 

If you want to find out more about renewable energy and what you can do to push the green transition forward, we’ve got some food for thought from our eco-blog below: 

• Following on the announcement that the UK will be using more nuclear power by 2035, we discuss what is nuclear energy and its advantages and disadvantages.
• We speak to the Managing Director of Keenan Recycling about how they make biofuels out of our food waste.
• As green energy tariffs grow in popularity, we break down what to look out for when making the switch and how to spot greenwashing.
• We do the maths on the benefits of investing in an electric vehicle once your petrol pal is ready to be retired. 
• Lastly, the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 report is an excellent catalogue of the various renewables available to a net zero world.  
  

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