1 INTRODUCTION
Plants absorb energy photosynthetically from the sun
producing natural (energy) products as a result.
Nevertheless, energy auditing of the production and use
of biomass should be continued in order to improve and
further understand where energy economies can be made.
Biomass as feedstock includes materials that can be
converted into various solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels
using biological and thermochemical conversion
processes. Four broad categories of potential biomass
feedstocks can be identified: (1) organic urban or
industrial wastes; (2) agricultural crop residues and
wastes including manure, straw, bagasse, and forestry
waste; (3) existing uncultivated vegetation including
stands of trees, shrubs, bracken, heather, and the like; and
(4) energy plantations, which involve planted energy
crops either on wastelands as has been done during our
previous investigations (1, 2) or on land brought into
production for that purpose, land diverted from other
agricultural production, or as catch crops planted on
productive land.
Due to the historically poor status of biomass-related
R&D, and its neglect on the part of planners and
development agencies, it has been very difficult to
change biomass energy systems in terms of their
production, harvesting, and energy conversion structures
to changing socioeconomic and environmental pressures.
Fortunately, this is now changing somewhat, so that there
is an opportunity to use biomass efficiently for the
production of modern energy carriers such as electricity
and liquid fuels and to improve the lack of efficiency
associated with traditional biomass fuels such as wood
and charcoal. Ideally a successful biomass program
should be sustainable and economical, taking into
account all costs and benefits, especially spillover and
indirect effects, including environmental and health
aspects. The focus of this article is, on effective
utilization of biomass at rural as well as urban level in
India which will improve, environmental concerns, save
foreign exchange, and improve socio economic status of
rural India.
2 SOURCES OF BIO-FUEL
Biomass can be used in solid or liquid forms. The solid
forms of biomass include direct burning of biomass
which is most common in rural India as well as burning
of cow dung for dung cakes which are also burnt directly
or mixed with coal to make round balls of dung and coal
powder.
Biofuels in their liquid form, can be classified as
follows:
Vegetable oils
Unmodified vegetable oils
Modified vegetable oils
Alcohols
Bioethanol
Biomethanol
Oxygenated components
2.1 Vegetable Oils
Pure vegetable oils, especially when refined and
deslimed, can be used in prechamber, indirect-injected
engines such as the Deutz model and in swirl-chamber
diesel engines such as the Ellsbett diesel model. They are
also usable when mixed with diesel fuels. Pure vegetable
oil, however, cannot be used in direct-injection diesel
engines, such as those regularly used in standard tractors,
since engine cooking occurs after
several hours of use. All engine types allow additions of
vegetable oils mixed with fuels in reduced and small
proportions, but residues and cooking negatively affect
short-term engine performance. Some vegetable oils also
find application as lubricants and as hydraulic oils. In
addition, they can be used in saw machines. In general
terms, it is possible to substitute mineral oils for
vegetable oils provided that appropriate additives
are included. Plant Sources for vegetable oils. Vegetable
oil can be obtained from more than 300 different plant
species. Oil is contained mainly in fruits and seeds, yet
still other origins exist. The highest oil yields can be
obtained from tree crops, such as palms, coconuts, and
olives, Jatropha Pongamia, Mahua, Salvadora, but there
are a number of field crops containing oils. Climatic and
soil conditions, oil content, yields and the feasibility of
farm operations, however, limit the potential use of
vegetable oils to a reduced number of crops. Apart from
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the previously mentioned semirefined oils, vegetable oils
can also be used in the esterificated form. Diesel engines
malfunction if an excess of carbon is present in the
combustion process. It becomes necessary to split the
glycerides causing an excess in the carbon composition.
This can be achieved by treating oil with alcohol
transesterification or by cracking procedures. Ideally,
transesterification is potentially a less expensive way of
transforming the large, branched molecular structure of
the bio-oils into smaller, straight-chain molecules of the
type required in regular diesel combustion engines. The
so called bio ldiesel fuels are oil esters of a biological
origin.
Rape oil methyl-ester (RME) and sunflower methyl-ester
(SME) are two biodiesels derived from their
corresponding oil seeds.
Jatropha curcas has greatpotential for India as it can be grown on vast areas of
wastelands in the regions having rainfall above 35 mm
per annum.
2.2 Alcohols
Ethanol is a volatile liquid fuel that may be used to
replace refined petroleum. It can be obtained from
different feedstocks. Among them are cereals, sugarcane,
sugarbeet, and tubers as well as cellulose materials,
namely, wood and vegetable remnants, although
production in these cases is much more difficult.
Attention has been focused lately on other plants such as
Jerusalem artichokes, which contain inulin (a fructose
polymer), and on converting lignocellulosic materials
into glucose to obtain ethanol. The ethanol yield from
these products depends mainly on the content in
fermentable glucides and on per-hectare yields. Ethanol
from biomass can readily be used as a blender in
gasoline. To elaborate ethanol, the biomass feedstock is
first separtaed into its three main components: cellulose,
hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose is hydrolyzed into
sugars, mainly glucose, which are then easily fermented
into ethanol. Hemicellulose can also be converted into
sugars, such as xylose, but it is difficult to ferment to
produce alcohol. Lignin cannot be fermented, but it can
be used to provide energy for fermentation processes.
There is no chemical difference between ethanol derived
from biomass and fossil origin ethanol.
Another advantage of ethanol is that is can lower the
production of aromatic products found in high octane
gasolines. Ethanol is currently produced in two separate
ways: synthetic ethanol produced from ethylene derived
from hydrocarbon, which is preferred for industrial uses
due to the pureness attained (which can reach values of
99.9% in alcohol), and ethanol obtained from the
fermentation of plants rich in sugar or starch, a process
that is clearly advantageous when using gasoline as a
fuel.
Calotropis procera and Euphorbia antisyphiliticahave great potential as a source of biofuel from the
biomass residue obtained after extracting the
hydrocarbons with solvent extraction method.
Concerning methanol, although it can be produced from a
wide range of raw materials (namely, wood, dry biomass
in general, coal, etc.), at present, it is mainly obtained by
synthesis from natural gas or gasoline. The technology
for the production of methanol consists of “gasifying the
cellulosic raw material to obtain a synthesis gas followed
by the traditional processes used for fossil fuels whereby
the gas is purified and its composition is adjusted for the
synthesis of methanol”.
The final energy result is more positive when producing
methanol because ethanol is a high-cost, low-yield
product with problems derived from storage and effects
on soil. Also, methanol is less volatile, thereby less
dangerous in case of a traffic accident. Unexpected
combustion could be extinguished with water, it pollutes
less, it has no sulphur content, and it could be
transformed into a high octane gasoline that may be used
in countries not ready to employ engines that are fed
directly with methanol. That transformation implies a
cost, but it would not be excessive. However, the
problem with the production of methanol from biomass
remains the optimum size of the present manufacturing
units, which, having been designed for fossil fuels, are
not readily suitable for a very different raw material.
3 POLICIES THAT INFLUENCE BIOMASS USE
Obviously, the evolution of biofuel technologies depends
as much on economic opportunities and public policies as
on enhanced technological options. It is evident that
much of the advancement in technological capabilities in
India is supported by Department of Science and
Technology, Government of India under mission mode
projects supporting development of liquid fuel sources
from biomass.
Basically the biomass programme must have following
five components: 1) Energy R&D strategy, rational use
of energy, renewable energies, reduction of
environmental impacts of fossil fuels, and dissemination
of energy technologies. The energy strategy area includes
several sections ranging from global analysis of energy
R&D policy options to socioeconomic research in order
to understand those factors that foster or hinder the
innovation processes of energy technologies. Within this
strategy area, important studies on the future of biomass
energies, including liquid biofuels, are contemplated with
special emphasis on technology dissemination.
The rational use of energy area concerns energy
efficiency on the demand side of the energy sector. It
covers the reduction of energy consumption and
stimulating market penetration of innovative, efficient,
and clean technologies with a view to reducing
dependency on external supplies of energy products and
to improving the impact of the use of energy on the
environment. The area relative to renewable energies has
as its main objective to enable and stimulate the
introduction of renewable energies into the energy
system, which offer substantial advantages from an
environmental protection standpoint, CO
2 emissions, andlong-term security of energy supply. In addition, new
initiatives will be taken to enhance the integration of
renewable energies into the economy and society.
Included in this area are sections on the integration of
renewable technologies in social issues and research on
energies from biomass and waste.
4 FUTURE STRATEGIES
It includes multi sectoral and interdisciplinary activities
focusing on three main objectives: first, to strengthen the
scientific base needed to implement the EU’s
environmental policy and permit it to reconcile the
notions of human health and safety, environmental
protection, and the sustainable management of resources
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with development and economic growth; second, to
contribute to world programs of research into global
change; third, to contribute to the development of
environmental technologies, techniques, products, and
services that meet new needs and could contribute to
sustainable economic growth. A number of R&D
possibilities for systemic factors pertinent to the future
evolution of biofuels production and utilization can be
provided by developing effective renewable energy
programmes.
5 PROMOTION OF FORESTRY AND NON-FOOD
SECTOR
The program are the forestry and nonfood sectors of
agriculture and their links with the processing industries,
together with rural activities, the end-user, and the
consumer are very important for the renewable resource
development. Integrated production and processing
chains, and scaling-up and processing methodologies,
both dedicated principally to the nonfood sector and
especially to the use of plant raw materials for biomass
and bioenergy, such as timber, fibers, carbohydrates, oils,
proteins, and specialty chemicals contained in new and
traditional crops and trees are needed to be developed
intensively. . Included as the first section in the integrated
production and processing area are the chains. In
addition, the scaling-up processing methodologies refer
to biomass energy as well. Additional objectives are to
address the problems associated with the transfer of basic
or applied research and technology from the laboratory
level to the development steps of industrial scale.
Obviously, as underscored previously, this is of great
relevance for the future development of liquid fuels
derived from biological sources due to the fact that the
transfer step is normally characterized by major problems
and bottlenecks, such as a lack of homogeneity and
quality in the raw material supply and a lack of
understanding of the basic physical and chemical
characteristics and relationships of the biomaterials being
processed and produced. Problems such as
fluiddynamics, product recovery, heat transfer,
flocculation, and so on are common when applied and
basic research models are scaled up in the development
or pilot-scale phase of R&D.
6 EU AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Potential import demand of the EU for biofuels produced
in developing coutries like Tanzania, Nigeria Nicaragua
and India etc will be influenced very strongly by future
developments in concerned public policies.
To ensure further uses of biomass fuels and to exploit
fully their projected potential, a coordinated
multisectoral approach has been advocated. This should
provide an effective assessment of the interactions among
policies related to agriculture, energy, transport, and the
environment and, it is hoped, will avoid contradictory
measures.
7 BIOMASS HAS POTENTIAL TO MEET ENERGY
CRISIS
The rise of world oil prices due to the 1973 and 1979 oil
crises stimulated the formulation and implementation of
new energy policies, so that new renewable energy
sources became attractive alternative fuels. The current
priority axes of the EU energy policy are and the same
could be adapted for India:
• to improve energy efficiency
• to secure energy supplies
• to protect the environment
• to push technological innovation
• to guarantee economic and social cohesion, and
• to develop international cooperation
These goals are similar to the ones set out by the
European Energy Charter : a pan-European forum, whose
goal was ‘‘to improve security of energy supply and to
maximize the efficiency of production, conversion,
transport, distribution and use of energy, to enhance
safety and to minimize environmental problems on an
acceptable economic basis.”
Security of energy supplies results not only from a
greater independence from foreign sources but also from
the replacement of gasoline by other kinds of energy as a
way to secure improved price stability and protection
from fluctuation of international energy shocks.
Diversification of energy sources and a higher percentage
of locally produced energy are goals that can be satisfied
by biofuels.
8 BIOMASS THE INEXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCE
The inexhaustible nature of biofuels as an energy source
is also an important asset for their future potential from
the security standpoint. In contrast to fossil fuels, their
social acceptance will probably increase in the future
provided that some negative
possible impacts on the environment are avoided or
carefully kept under control.
9 REDUCTION IN CO2 EMISSIONS
One of the major themes concerning environment and
energy is the proposed directive of EU that establishes a
carbon tax on fossil oils in order to keep CO2 emissions
levels down. The final goal would be to maintain CO
2atmospheric emissions in the year 2000 at the 1990 level,
CO
2 being the main cause of the greenhouse effect.Nevertheless, introduction of this regulation is facing
strong constraints since the EU’s competitiveness might
be reduced if similar steps are not taken by other Western
economies such as the USA and Japan (the USA has also
demonstrated a willingness to reduce its carbon dioxide
emissions from the use of fossil fuels).
The ALTENER program , which is the main initiative of
the EU to support renewable energy, sets three objectives
for renewable energy sources in Europe by 2005:
• increase the renewable energies market share from 4%
to 8% of EU primary energy needs;
• triple the production of renewable energy, excluding
large hydro schemes; • and secure a biofuels share of 5%
of total fuel consumption by motor vehicles.
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Nonetheless, even when considering optimistic
penetration rates such as the one quoted, biofuels cannot
solve the security supply problem, since fossil fuels will
continue to be the main energy source. Typical
ALTENER projects deal with breaking down barriers or
establishing new legal, administrative, organizational,
economic, or managerial systems.
10 DEVELOPMENT OF AGROTECHNOLOGY
A reduction in crop price predicted in accordance with
the long-term goal of meeting world prices implies a
decrease in crop costs that will surely improve bio fuel
competitiveness.
11 WASTELAND UTILIZATION FOR BIOFUEL
PRODUCTION
In contrast to the European countries where set aside land
is used for biomass production the developing countries
have over millions of ha of wasteland which could be
effectively utilizd for cultivation of Energy crops. The
cultivation of biofuels could help rural and retarded
economies in two ways:
• The represent one additional possibility for the
utilization of farm resources, with the end result of
raising income and direct employment on the farm.
• The manufacturing and commercialization of fuel crops
need to be based on the rural communities and must
supplement their income.
Cultivating crops for energy use on wastelands provides
an opportunity to increase the demand for agricultural
commodities. This new income will surely improve the
material welfare of rural communities and might result in
a further activation of the local economy. In the end, this
will mean a reduction in emigration rates to urban
environments, also and help in environment protection.
12 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Although European Commission has emphasized the,
need for change is discussed in terms of ‘‘sustainable’’
development, but there is little agreement on the concept
and on operating procedures and criteria. Appropriate
management is required on a global scale, which means
on national, regional, and community bases.
Since biofuels are crop based, soil depletion, effluents,
pesticide, and fertilizer consumption are also aspects to
be considered in any environmental assessment.
Cultivated feedstocks for biofuels share with agricultural
production a variety of shortcomings, usually criticized
by environmentalists. These include soil erosion,
occupational hazards, loss of ecosystems, excessive
fertilizer and pesticide use, monoculture production, and
the deterioration of landscapes. If biomass energy is used
instead of fossil fuels, however, there is normally a net
reduction in CO2 emissions. The extent of this reduction
depends on the fossil fuel displaced and the efficiency
with which the biomass energy can be produced, which
can be measured in terms of energy balances. A reduction
of 180 million tons in carbon emissions by the year 2005
could be achieved with a biofuels market penetration of
5% of the total consumption in combustion engines.
Sulphur dioxide is a major pollutant causing extensive
damage to forests, buildings, health, and so on.
Fortunately, SO2 emissions from using biomass energy
tend to be considerably lower because relevant plants and
trees contain only trace quantities of sulphur compared to
much higher emissions from coal, gasoline, and even
some natural gas. This drop in SO2 is accompanied by a
fall in the level of the other traditional motor pollutant
emissions such as carbon monoxide, unburned
hydrocarbons, and particulates, but these reductions are
less easily quantifiable. However, there is an increase in
the release of nitrogen oxides and aldehydes. There is no
clear advantage to any one of the liquid biofuels, and
choices between them will depend on local priorities. If
the aim is to move to lower intensity forms of land use,
wood production is likely to have significant advantages.
If emission abatement per hectare is a priority goal, the
liquid fuel with the greatest potential is ethanol from
sugar beets.
13 CONCLUSION
It may be concluded that biofuels may be able to
contribute to the attainment of a variety of environmental
objectives such as the aim of reducing both local air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and the
environmental concerns of maintaining agricultural land
in production with a possible move to lower intensity
production of crops. From an environmental point of viw,
however, blended fuels consist primarily of gasoline or
diesel fuel, which limits the potential benefits in both
emission control and efficiency .
REFERENCES
(1) Kumar, A and A. Tewari, 2004.
Improving the Biofuel Utilization Efficiency in the Rural
Villages by Modifying the Fire Stove ‘Chulha’.
Proceedings of the 2
nd World Biomass Conference -Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection,
Vol II, 2544-2547.
(2) Kumar, A and A. Kotiya, 2004.
Some Potential Plants for Bio-energy. Proceedings of the
2
nd World Biomass Conference - Biomass for Energy,Industry and Climate Protection, Vol I, 180-183.
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