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Biofuels
 As the name suggests, “biofuels,” are derived from biological materials of plant or animal origin and can be produced from any carbon rich substrate. Avid interest in the conversion of biomaterials into fuel began during the World War II, when the various political embargos created an acute shortage of fuel supply. The innovations were directed chiefly toward the production of ethanol from bio-sources that was sorely needed to power transport. In Germany ethanol derived from fermented potatoes, was blended with gasoline (Monopolin), while in Great Britain, grain alcohol blended with petroleum was sold under the brand name “discol.” After the war, the middle –east provided the world with abundant fossil fuel that seemed a more economic option and the biofuel option was suspended. Fossil fuels and biofuels are both of biological origin. However, fossil fuels are remains of biota, dead millions of years ago, while biofuels are energy sources from recently perished living matter.
Demands for Fossil fuel are growing exponentially making them an unsustainable option as a primary fuel source in the long term. Besides this, the escalating costs of fossil fuels and the numerous negative ecological impacts associated with their used has mooted a resurgence of interest in biofuels.
Any type of biomass formed from recently dead or eliminated wastes from living organisms may be a candidate for use as biofuels. These include, Plants/animals and their byproducts, animal wastes, processed biodegradable industrial wastes and so on. Based on their origin, biofuels may be classified as first, second, third or fourth generation biofules.
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First generation biofuels
First generation biofuels are either ethanol produced through fermentation of starch, grains and other carbon sources or are vegetable oils pressed from oil seeds and directly used as biodiesel.
Vegetable oils used as auto fuels are usually non-edible, poor quality oils or used edible oils. In order for the oil to be compatible with engine dynamics, specifically in the atomization process, these oils are pre-heated by either electric coils or heat exchangers. Heating reduces their viscosity for better engine efficiency. MAN B&W Diesel, Wartsila and Deutz AG are among the few companies who manufacture automotive engines compatible for use with vegetable oil directly.
The chemical name for Biodiesel is Fatty Acid Methy Esther (FAME), and is formed when oils are treated with methano/ethanol in the presence of Sodium Hydroxide (esterfication) and may be manufactured from fats, vegetable oils, soy, rapeseed, mahua, mustard, sunflower, palm oil, hemp, and algae. Biodiesel is a very clean burning fuel and is also an excellent solvent for deposites found in the engines and engine parts in an automobile. The other important quality of biodiesel is that it has greater oxygen and hydrogen content over mineral disesel (oxygenated fuel). This assists in the better combustion of the mineral diesel fuel with which it is most widely (15:85). 100% biodiesel tends to get visocus especially in cold climates that would require heating of fuel before injection. Automobile engineering has and continues to redesign emgine options that would accommodate B100.
Bioalchol is usually ethano and sometime propanol or butanol produced by fermentation of carbon rich biological sources like corn, wheat, sugar beet, sugar cane, molasses, potateo, fruit wastes and so on and subsequently distilling alcohol vapours and finally drying of vapours. However, even after scouring, ethanol absorbs water from the atmosphere as it is highly hygroscopic, rsulting in making the fuel less efficient . Nevertheless, even dry alcohol produces one-third lower energy of gasoline. Ethanol is highly corrosive, rendering it useless for use as avation fuel. This quality also begs the need for special stainless steel tankers for transport, escalating costs of distribution.Ethnol if the most widely used commercial bio autofuel and can directly take the place of gasoline or can be mixed with gasoline in preferred proportions for use. Car manufacturers have designed hybrid engines that can utilize a mixture of ethanol and gasolene.
Biomethanol (methanol produced from biological sources), Syngas (mixture of carbonmonoxide and hydrogen) are aslo used as fuels. Traditional burning of biomass like wood, agricultural wastes and also contribute to first generation biofuels.
Second generation biofules
These bio-fules are produced from carbon sources derieved from non-food crops and ligning (a highly complex carbon source).
Third generation carbon biofuels
Biofuels derieved from algae constitute third generation biofuels. It has been found that algal sources have 30% more energy than plants energy derieved from land sources. Third generation Biofuels are also cleaner and more environmentally friendly compared to first and second generation biofuels.
Fourth generation biofuels are harnessed from genetically engineered microorganisms.
 While biofuels appear to be a more sustainable alternative there are many problems associated with their production and use. For instance, the use of food crops for energy production has brought about food shortages and there is a lot of unrest over diverting land and resources to this anvil. Besides, the costs asociated with capital outlay for production, use of special material for transport (as in the case of ethanol) , cost of creating new technology does not necessarily make biofuels an attractive financial option. Further, all biofuels are not totally free of environmental imapact and certainly do not have the same fuel efficiency to incite interest for total substitution. The answer lies in advancing more investments in research to make biofuels a clean, sustainable and economic fuel resource for the future.
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