Biofuel for thought

The potential for biofuels is examined. Carbon emissions from biofuels, including agriculture and processing, are estimated to be a fifth of those from diesel. There are plans in parts of Africa for growing biofuel crops, with 490 million hectares of potential land for such crops. In the UK, consultation has started to establish environmental safeguards on the use of biofuels. Biofuels are unlikely to be a commercial success unless they are competitive in economic terms, and economically biofuel has to be produced for 0.5-0.6 dollars/litre. Only diesel from animal fats (0.41-0.54 dollars) and ethanol from sugar (0.26 to 0.5 dollars) are economically viable at present. Fuel can also be processed. Most alternative fuels are lighter than mineral diesel so have a lower energy per litre. To balance this, governments must cut taxes on alternative fuels. Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Spain plan to abolish tax on biofuels. Production of synthetic diesel fuel from liquid extracts of decomposed plant waste will start in a pilot processing plant in Germany operated by Shell and Choren Industries. British Sugar has a pilot processing factory for producing ethanol from sugar. By 2020, a fifth of fuel sold in Sweden will be biofuel. Scania has loaned an ethanol-fuelled Omnicity double-decker bus to London Transport.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00203122
• Authors:
  • DICKSON-SIMPSON, J
• Publication Date: 2007-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 26-8
• Serial:
  • TRANSPORT ENGINEER
  • Publisher: Institute of Road Transport Engineeers
  • ISSN: 0020-3122

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Economics; Fuels; Pollutants; Taxes; Vegetation
• ITRD Terms: 255: Economics; 2442: Emission; 3850: Fuel; 2417: Renewable energy; 268: Tax; 2488: Vegetation
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Environment; Finance; Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01079699
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 22 2007 10:37AM