Can Biofuels Replace Fossil Fuels in 2026 As Per East Point College of Engineering and Technology

In the following article, East Point College of Engineering and Technology Bengaluru has explained the importance of replacing fossil fuels with biofuels in 2026. The aim is to reduce LPG dependence and create employment opportunities. The population is exploding in the world and it is predicted to be reaching 9 billion by 2050. This demands more energy and puts tremendous pressure on natural energy reserves such as coal and fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has several environmental implications, including an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) Over the last few decades, global primary energy consumption has increased dramatically due to rapid industrialization and higher living standards.

Currently, over 80% of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels, including natural gas, oil, and coal, and about 98% of it is generated via carbon emissions from fossil. Analysts predict that drought events will be more intense during the 21st century affecting agricultural productivity due to the greenhouse effect. For sustainable development, the global temperature must be reduced to pre-industrial levels.

The frequent wars at various places in the world are disrupting the global supply-chain management. This problem is worse in the countries which are importing fossil fuels for their energy needs. In order to address these two issues alternate fuels must be identified and renewable energy sources like biofuels is the potential option.

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Classification of Biofuels into Four Categories

First-generation biofuels are conventional biofuels, mainly generated from two types of edible feedstock, namely starch-based (e.g., potato, corn, barley, and wheat) and sugar-based (e.g., sugarcane and sugar beet) feedstocks . The main advantages of first-generation raw materials are the availability of crops and simple conversion processes. However, using edible food crops for biodiesel production, there is a reduced food supply, thus potentially increasing food prices. Another concern is the diverting of agricultural land to fuel production. Using a significantly large amount of fertilizer and pesticides for agricultural production could negatively impact the environment. Vegetable oil, Biodiesels, Biogas, solid biofuels etc can be generated from first generation biofuels.

The controversy of using first-generation biofuel feedstock for energy has forced us to move to second-generation biofuels, such as lignocellulosic or carbohydrate biomass, as the potential alternative source for biofuels and chemical production. These feedstocks do not rely on edible plants and do not require agricultural land. Cellulosic Ethanol,Biosynthetic Natural Gas (Bio-SNG), alcohol can be generated from this method.

Third-generation biofuels are produced from algal biomass and waste oil. The advantages of using third-generation biofuels include higher growth and productivity, no agricultural land required, higher oil content, and less impact on food supply. Microalgae, fish oil, animal fat, and waste cooking oil are the primary sources of third-generation biodiesel feedstocks.

The fourth-generation biofuel production employs genetically modified algae that accumulate high lipid and carbohydrate content to improve biofuel yield. The raw materials used for biofuel production are microalgae, macroalgae, and cyno-bacteria. Cyno-bacteria are non-photosynthetic prokaryotes, and micro and macro algae are eukaryotes.

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Scope for Generating Biofuel in Bengaluru

In cities like Bengaluru, huge amounts of wet waste is generated, which can be used to generate biogas. 3500 tons of wet waste generated by Bengaluru can produce 1,05,000 kilograms of biogas in a day. This is equivalent to more than 7000 cylinders of LPG gas which can cater 20% of the city's commercial requirement as per International Institute for Sustainable Development report. The same report says, there is a potential to reduce LPG dependence by 50% by adopting electric and biogas cooking. The bio gas plant maintenance requires a huge number of unskilled labourers. This generates employment for local people. The byproduct of biogas plants is extremely good natural fertilizer. This will also help the circular economy. Lucknow has emerged as a Zero net Waste city in India.

Conclusions

The demand for fossil fuels is gradually increasing due to urbanisation and improved life standards. Thus it is necessary to consider the potential benefits of using other resources for energy needs that are more cost-effective, climate resilient, and sustainable. This could reduce the burden on fossil fuels in the future.

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