BIOFUELS Carlos Sousa AGENEAL, Local Energy Management Agency of Almada

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BIOFUELSCarlos SousaAGENEAL, Local Energy
Management Agency of Almada
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SUMMARY

• Definition of Biofuels
• Types of Biofuels
• Characteristics of Biofuels

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DEFINITION OF BIOFUELS

• Biofuels are liquid fuels, which are made from a
  variety of sources of biomass
• plant materials
• types of crops
• recycled or waste vegetable oils
• Biofuels can be used in internal combustion
  engines, as a replacement or complement of petrol
  and diesel.

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BIOFUELS

• Reasons for promoting biofuels are
• To contribute to the security of energy supply
• To contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas
  emissions
• To promote a greater use of renewable energy
• To diversify agricultural economies into new
  markets.

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TYPES OF BIOFUELS

• The two main biofuels are
• Bioethanol, as a substitute or additive for
  petrol
• Biodiesel, as a substitute for diesel

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BIODIESEL
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BIODIESEL

• Biodiesel is a general name for methyl esters
  from organic feedstock.
• Biodiesel can be made from a wide range of
  vegetable oils
• rapeseed the most common one
• sunflower
• palm oil
• soy
• recycled cooking oils
• Germany and France are the largest EU producers

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USE OF BIODIESEL

• Biodiesel can be used pure or blended.
• Most common blends is 5 biodiesel, 95 diesel
• Blends above 5 may invalidate manufacturers
  warranty
• Blends above 30 may require modifications in the
  engine
• rubber seals perishing and injectors blocking

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BIODIESEL AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• Use of 100 biodiesel would reduce life-cycle
  CO2 emissions by 40 to 50.
• But, this is not common
• Use of 5 blend reduces CO2 emissions by 2 to
  2.5.
• Biodiesel is biodegradable

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BIOETHANOL

• Bioethanol is a alcohol produced from the
  fermentation of
• sugarcane and corn Brazil and USA
• sugar beet or wheat Europe, mainly Spain, Poland
  and France are the main producers
• Technology to produce bioethanol from cellulosic
  materials (agricultural and wood wastes) and
  separated domestic wastes is not yet well
  developed

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BIOETHANOL

• A 5 blend of Bioethanol does not require
  vehicle modifications, nor affects manufacturers
  warranty.
• Substitute for MTBE in petrol (octane enhancer)
• Flexible Fuelled Vehicles, FFV, can use higher
  concentrations of bioethanol
• Ford, Volvo and Saab sell FFV (blend of 85
  bioethanol and 15 petrol)

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USE OF BIOETHANOL

• The energy content of bioethanol is about
  two-thirds that of petrol
• Consumption is higher (volume)
• Bioethanol is an alcohol contains oxygen
  (C2H5OH)
• Need to adjust air/fuel ratio modern engines do
  it up to 10 bioethanol blends
• Bioethanol has a higher latent heat of
  evaporation
• poorer cold start ability in winter. Petrol may
  need to be used for start
• Bioethanol is an octane enhancer
• Higher compression ratios may be used More
  efficiency!!

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BIOETHANOL AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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BIOETHANOL AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• For 100 bioethanol the reductions are typically
  50 to 60 on a life-cycle basis compared with
  conventional fossil fuels.
• 5 blends would bring approximately 2.5 to 3 net
  reductions.

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BIOFUELS ECONOMIC ASPECTS

• Producing biodiesel from oil seeds costs about
  twice as much as diesel from crude oil
• Producing bioethanol costs about 2-3 times as
  much as petrol from crude oil
• Thus
• Duty reductions or exemptions are necessary

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Thank you for your attention!