Rajan Wilcox
Biofuels are an alternative to fossil fuels, produced from renewable biological sources such as plants, animals, and waste. They are promoted as a low-carbon option that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the related climate change impact from transport. In 2022, biofuels represented over 3.5% of global transport energy demand, mainly for road transport, and demand has been increasing by about 6% annually over the past five years. However, the total amount of biofuel used compared to conventional fuels is still relatively low. For example, in 2022, biofuels replaced the consumption of 2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, or 4% of the global transportation sector's oil demand. Aviation biofuels, which need to increase dramatically by 2030 to align with sustainability goals, accounted for less than 0.1% of aviation fuel demand in 2022. While biofuels have environmental benefits, their wider use may lead to unintended consequences, and there are concerns about the sustainability of feedstock supplies and the impact on food prices and land use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common types of biofuel | Ethanol and biodiesel |
| Ethanol blends | E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), E15, E85 (51-83% ethanol) |
| Ethanol usage | 82% of biofuel production, 75% of consumption in the US |
| Biodiesel blends | B100 (pure biodiesel), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) |
| Biodiesel usage | 9% of biofuel production and consumption in the US |
| Global biofuel demand increase | 11% from 2023 to 2024 |
| Fossil Energy Ratio (gasoline) | 0.8 |
| Fossil Energy Ratio (ethanol) | 1.5 |
| Fossil Energy Ratio (petrodiesel) | 0.83 |
| Fossil Energy Ratio (soybean biodiesel) | 5.5 |
| Biofuel environmental impact | Potential to reduce energy and GHG emissions, but may require more cropland and irrigation water |
| Water intensity | Higher for biofuels than fossil fuels |
| US biofuel production | 18.7 billion gallons in 2022 |
| US biofuel consumption | 17.6 billion gallons in 2022 |
| US biofuel exports | 1 billion gallons in 2022 |
| US government support | $9.4 billion for biofuel production and investment until 2031 |
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What You'll Learn
Biofuels' environmental impact
Biofuels are being promoted as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the related climate change impact from transport. However, there are concerns about the environmental impact of biofuels, and their wider deployment could lead to unintended environmental consequences.
The US government considers biofuels to have fewer negative effects on the environment compared to fossil fuels. Government programs like the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) define the types of biofuels and processes by which they can be produced to qualify for use under the programs. Biofuels also have economic and security benefits, reducing the need to import petroleum fuels.
Biofuels are renewable fuels made from plant materials, or biomass, such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking grease. The two most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is used as a blending agent with gasoline to increase octane levels and reduce carbon monoxide and smog-causing emissions. Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel and can be blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage.
However, the production and use of biofuels can have negative environmental impacts. The process of producing biofuels requires a heat source, and most producers currently use fossil fuels. Some producers burn corn stalks or sugarcane stalks for heat, but this requires land, fertilizers, and energy that some believe should be used for food crops instead. Large areas of natural vegetation and forests have been cleared or burned to grow soybeans and palm oil trees for biodiesel.
The environmental impact of biofuels is situational and depends on factors like the type of feedstock, production routes, and methodological choices. While pure ethanol and biodiesel are nontoxic and biodegradable, fuel ethanol contains denaturants to make it undrinkable. Biofuels can also emit greenhouse gases, and the burning of biofuels results in carbon dioxide emissions, although these are excluded from national greenhouse gas emissions inventories as the growing of biomass feedstocks may offset the CO2 produced when biofuels are burned.
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Biofuel production
Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from renewable biological sources, including plants, animal fat, and algae. The two most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel, which are also the most produced and used in the US. Ethanol is an alcohol blended with gasoline for vehicle fuel, and biodiesel is blended with petroleum diesel. Other types of biofuels include renewable diesel, renewable jet fuel, renewable heating oil, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline, and other emerging biofuels.
Biofuels have the potential to reduce the energy and greenhouse gas emission intensities associated with transportation. For example, GHG emissions from corn ethanol average 39% lower than gasoline, and using B100 (100% biodiesel) can reduce CO2 emissions by 74%. However, biofuel production and use also have drawbacks, including land and water resource requirements, air and groundwater pollution, and higher evaporative emissions from fuel tanks and dispensing equipment.
The production of advanced biofuels involves breaking down the tough, rigid structure of the plant cell wall, which can be done through high-temperature or low-temperature deconstruction. High-temperature deconstruction uses extreme heat and pressure to break down solid biomass into liquid or gaseous intermediates, while low-temperature deconstruction uses biological or thermochemical processes to convert biomass into hydrocarbons.
The US government supports biofuel production through policies and programs such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). In 2022, about 18.7 billion gallons of biofuels were produced in the US, with fuel ethanol accounting for the largest share of production and consumption. The US and Brazil produced 80% of the world's ethanol in 2022, with 94% of US ethanol derived from corn and Brazil using sugarcane as feedstock.
Global demand for biofuels is expected to increase by 11% from 2023 to 2024, and biofuel production technology needs to diversify to take advantage of existing waste and residue feedstocks. Aviation biofuels, in particular, need to make significant strides to align with the NZE Scenario, increasing from less than 0.1% of aviation fuel demand in 2022 to around 10% in 2030.
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Biofuel consumption
Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from renewable biological sources, including plants, animal fat, and algae. The two most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. Biofuels are used primarily as transportation fuels, but they may also be used for heating and electricity generation.
Government policies and programs have played a significant role in promoting and mandating the use of biofuels, contributing to the increase in consumption. For example, the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have set standards and incentives for the production and use of biofuels. The United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) also provides support for biofuels, estimated at USD 9.4 billion until 2031.
Biofuels are often blended with conventional fuels for consumption. For instance, biodiesel is usually blended with petroleum diesel, and ethanol is blended with gasoline. The most common blend of ethanol is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), and B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) is a common blend in the US. However, some biofuels, known as "'drop-in' biofuels, can be used without blending.
While biofuels have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use, they also face some drawbacks. The production and use of biofuels can have negative consequences for land and water resource requirements, air and groundwater pollution, and food prices. Additionally, the processes for producing biofuels often require a heat source, and most producers currently use fossil fuels for this purpose.
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Biofuel demand
Biofuels are primarily ethanol and biodiesel, and they are in high demand. In 2022, biofuels represented over 3.5% of global transport energy demand, mainly for road transport. Use of biofuels has expanded at nearly 6% annually over the past 5 years, except in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline. In 2022, biofuel demand increased by 6%, continuing the recent growth trend. The global demand for biofuels is expected to increase by 11% from 2023 to 2024.
Biofuels are considered by the US government to have fewer negative effects on the environment than fossil-fuel-derived fuels. They also have potential economic and security benefits, reducing the need to import petroleum fuels. Government programs such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) promote the use of biofuels. The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides production and investment support for biofuels, estimated at USD 9.4 billion until 2031.
Biofuel production and consumption in the US have generally increased each year since the early 1980s, largely due to government policies and programs that promote biofuels over fossil fuels. In 2022, about 18.7 billion gallons of biofuels were produced in the US, with 17.6 billion gallons consumed. Most biofuel consumption occurs as a blend with refined petroleum products.
However, the production and use of biofuels can have significant effects on society and the environment. They may require more cropland and irrigation water, impacting food prices. Additionally, growing plants for fuel is controversial as some believe the resources should be used for food crops instead.
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Biofuel types
Biofuels are renewable sources of energy that can be used to meet transportation fuel needs. They are derived from biomass, which can be converted into liquid fuels. The two most common types of biofuels currently in use are ethanol and biodiesel, which are also the first generation of biofuel technology.
Ethanol
Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials or biomass. It is an alcohol that can be blended with gasoline to increase octane levels and reduce carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. The most common blend is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), which is approved for use in most conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. Some vehicles, called flexible fuel vehicles, can use blends with higher ethanol content, such as E85. Ethanol is typically produced from plant starches and sugars, especially corn starch in the United States. However, researchers are working on technologies that would enable the use of cellulose and hemicellulose.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, including new and used vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking grease. It is a cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel and can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines. Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel in various percentages, with B20 (20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel) being the most common mixture.
Advanced Biofuels
Advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol and renewable hydrocarbon fuels, are produced through a multi-step process that involves breaking down the rigid structure of plant cell walls using high-temperature or low-temperature deconstruction methods. Hydrothermal liquefaction, a type of high-temperature deconstruction, utilizes extreme heat and pressure to convert solid biomass into liquid or gaseous intermediates.
Next-Generation Biofuels
The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is working on developing next-generation biofuels made from wastes, cellulosic biomass, and algae-based resources. These ""drop-in" fuels can serve as direct substitutes for petroleum in existing refineries, tanks, pipelines, and vehicles.
While biofuels offer environmental benefits and can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, their production and use also have drawbacks, including land and water resource requirements and potential air and groundwater pollution. Additionally, growing plants for fuel is controversial, as it competes with food crop production for resources.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2022, biofuels represented over 3.5% of global transport energy demand, mainly for road transport. Biofuel demand increased by 6% in 2022, continuing a trend of annual growth of nearly 6% in the past 5 years, excluding 2020. Globally, biofuels replaced the consumption of 2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2022, or 4% of the global transportation sector oil demand. In the US, ethanol is the most produced (82%) and used (75%) biofuel.
Biofuels have the potential to reduce the energy and greenhouse gas emission intensities associated with transportation. Biofuels are also considered to have fewer negative effects on the environment compared to fossil-fuel-derived fuels.
Biofuels can have other significant effects on society and the environment. Depending on demand, crop growing conditions, and technology, they may require significant increases in cropland area and irrigation water use, and can affect food prices. Biofuels can also emit even more GHGs than some fossil fuels on an energy-equivalent basis.
