BIOFUEL AS A RENEWABLE ENERGY

 Energy - natural resources which are renewable - sunlight, wind, rain, tides, etc.

Mainstream forms of renewable energy:Wind power / Hydropower / Solar energy / Biomass / Biofuel / Geothermal energy

About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables10% - traditional biomass / 3.4% from hydroelectricity / NR’s - wind, solar, geothermal & biofuels - 3%

Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet (20%) and from radioactive decay of minerals (80%) - 5000oC

World's largest geothermal power installation Geysers in California (750 MW)

Indian has 400 medium to high enthalpy geothermal springs, clustered in 7 province,

The Himayala Province / Cambay Province / West coast province / SONATA province / Bakreswar province / Godavari province / The Barren Island

Fig: Steam rising from the Nesjavellir GTP Station in Iceland

Renewable Power Potential AchievedWind Power 20,000 MW 1,000 MW

Small Hydro Power 10,000 MW 172 MWBiomass 20,000 MW 141 MWSolar photo- voltic Power 20 MW/sq.km 810 KW

Table: Power production status of non-conventional energy in India

Share of renewables in global electricity generation - 19% (16% - hydroelectricity & 3% NR’s)

Wind power - growing at over 20% annually / End of 2011, worldwide installed capacity-238,000 MW / widely used in Europe, Asia & USA

Since 2004, photovoltics passed wind as the fastest growing energy source

Since 2007, has more than doubled every two years

End of 2011, PV cap. worldwide - 67,000MW

PV power stations - popular in Germany & Italy Solar thermal power stations - USA & Spain

Largest STPS at Mojave Desert (354 MW) - USA - SE california

Brazil - largest RE programs in the world - Ethanol from sugarcane - Ethanol provides 18% of the country's automotive fuel & also widely available in USA

BiofuelsWide range of fuels derived from biomass

It covers solid biomass, liquid fuels & various biogases

Liquid biofuels - bio alcohols like bioethanol, oils like biodiesel

Gaseous biofuels - biogas, landfill gas and synthetic gas

LFG - complex mix of different gases created by the action of Mo’s within a landfill

Bioethanol by fermentation of sugar components of plant materials - sugar & starch crops

With advanced technology, cellulosic biomass - trees & grasses - feedstock for ethanol prodn.

Ethanol (pure form) - fuel for vehicles, usually - gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle emissions

Bioethanol is widely used - USA & Brazil

Biodiesel - vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled greases

Biodiesel (pure form) - fuel for vehicles, usually - diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles

Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using Transesterification - Process of exchanging the organic group R″ of an ester with the organic group R′ of an alcohol - Eg:- polyester / Methanolysis & Biodiesel Production

Most common biofuel in Europe

Biofuels provided 2.7% of the world's transport fuel in 2010