Research and production of second-generation biofuels

Abstract

The global demand for fossil fuels is very high, but their use is not sustainable since its reserves are declining. Additionally, fossil fuels are responsible for the generation and accumulation of greenhouse gases. Thus, renewable fuels capable of sequestering carbon dioxide are in high demand. The production of first-generation biofuels from conventional fuel crops competes with food for arable land while producing low yields. The use of food crops like sugarcane, grains, and vegetable oils as biofuels may cause a threat to the food security system. Thus, there has been a great demand for the production of second-generation biofuels, which require lignocellulosic biomass as nonedible feedstocks that can be converted to sugar from which bioethanol can be produced. The emission of greenhouse gases from the transport sector can be reduced by substituting fossil fuels by biofuels. Second-generation biofuels can utilize nonarable land and consume waste products. Research on second-generation biofuels has emerged mainly in the developed and some developing countries like India, China, and Brazil. This chapter describes research and production of second-generation biofuels. A mixture of many oxygenated hydrocarbons comprise the feedstocks. Thus, the removal of oxygen becomes a necessity for converting it to a high-quality fuel by different routes such as catalytic cracking and hydrodeoxygenation. The most significant issue of a green economy is the application of gaseous fuels obtained from lignocellulosic mass for sale, subject to the renewable fuel standard. Private industrial investments and research funds should merge for the commercial production of biofuels at a cheaper rate.