Presentation Profile
The Current Role of Biofuels in the Modern Fuel Market and the Future Development of Advanced Biofuels
Currently Scheduled: 10/12/2021 - 10:20 AM - 10:40 AM
Room: Poster Parkway
Main Author
Dr. Raj Shah - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Eeman Jawad - Dept. Of Chemical Engineering, State Univ. of NY, Stony Brook
- Stanley Zhang - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
Abstract:
With escalating sustainability efforts in the modern fuel market, there is an increasing incentive to transition from fossil fuels to biofuels, which are an alternative fuel option produced from renewable plant-based organic matter. There are two types of biofuels that are currently in growing use: bioethanol and biodiesel. Both types of biofuels have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Bioethanol is readily in use for most vehicles in low alcohol-gasoline blends and contributes to lessening environmentally harmful tailpipe emissions. However, bioethanol blends with higher ethanol content are limited to usage in flexible fuel vehicles. Biodiesels play a significant role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving engine performance, but at the cost of raising potential issues in cold weather, reactivity with engine components, and clogging of fuel filters with dissolved sediments. The United States and Brazil produce a majority of the global supply of biofuels from soybeans, corn, and sugarcane. With the market’s expected growth, this creates a conflict of whether to allocate these crops to food or fuel. This is the reasoning behind research into second-generation biofuels derived from non-edible renewable sources such as switchgrass and algae. This poster will explore these potentially new sources of biofuels and their practicality in production, effectiveness, and sustainability compared to traditional biofuel feedstock.
