NEXT GENERATION BIOFUELS DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
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<Ashwani Kumar > |
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< Department of Botany and Biotechnology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302004, India> |
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<ashwanikumar214@gmail.come> |
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• <Abstract>Climate change is taking place due to emissions of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas. Photosynthetic organisms use solar energy to generate reducing equivalents and incorporate atmospheric CO2 into organic molecules. This helps in carbon sequestration. First generation biofuels - ethanol and biodiesel are predominantly produced from corn kernels, sugarcane or soybean oil, rape seed oil, palm oil etc. During the last three decades the work was initiated on petro-crops followed by researches on Jatropha at our Energy Plantation Demonstration Project at University of Rajasthan, Jaipur under various projects of Govt. of India. However use of Jatropha or palm oil or soybean oil for biodiesel raised the controversy on food vs fuel. Arguments were made that even if non edible oil yielding crops are raised on wastelands the ecological balance including nutrient status and nutrient use efficiency was disturbed due to cultivation of energy crops. These controversies paved way for the next generation biofuels. Currently, cellulosic biofuels and algal biodiesels are prominent biological approaches to sequester and convert CO2. However another biofuel feedstock, lignocelluloses—the most abundant biological material on earth is being explored. Lignocelluloses is everywhere—wheat straw, corn husks, prairie grass, discarded rice hulls or trees. The race is on to optimize the technology that can produce biofuels from lignocelluloses sources more efficiently—and biotech companies are in the running. Second and third generation biofuels require altering host material by metabolic engineering for entire product and developing new enzyme systems. Industrial application of biofuel inclusive of related bio products of commercial value from fourth generation products is being adapted on large scale.. Carbon captured in cellulosic biofuels and algal biodiesels are prominent biological approaches to sequester and convert CO2. Lipid productivity of many algae greatly exceeds that of the best cellulosic ethanol production. Another approach is direct conversion of CO2 to fuels or chemicals. Next generation biofuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy independence, provide clean environment and encourage rural development.
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Ashwani Kumar : E-mail: ashwanikumar214@gmail.com <Dr Ashwani Kumar, Professor, Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, has earned gold medal in M.Sc, and obtained Ph.D. from Rajasthan University. He also has the distinction of being an Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow (Germany). He was the Honorary Director at the School of Life Sciences, University of Rajasthan. The author’s repertoire of published works spreads across 150 research articles in various national and international journals. With an experience of over three decades in his field of research, namely, tissue culture and biochemistry the author was awarded V Puri medal recently. He has worked with Professor Katsuko Komatsu at Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan and Professor Dr Sven Schubert at IFZ Germany. He is currently engaged in research on salinity tolerance in cereals and crops, biofuels and medicinal plants. Kumar, was awarded Gold Medal in 1967, Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1977), full Professor of Botany visting Professorship Japan , has collaborations with over 12 countries for research activities in the field of plant biotechnology, physiology, bio-energy research, published 212 research articles, 8 books including two with Springer, guided 37 students towards Ph.D. degree, carried out 10 major research projects of Govt of India and Deutsche Forshung Geminschaft . Former Head Department of Botany and Director Life Sciences, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.Awarded V. Puri Medal by Indian Botanical Society of India. |
NEXT GENERATION BIOFUELS DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
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