This report looks at the technical challenges facing 2ndgeneration biofuels, evaluates their costs and examines related current policies to support their development and deployment. Several countries have set goals for increasing the proportion of biofuels used for transport. Provided appropriate equipment and facilities are used and safety precautions are made the experiments do. These firms are captured by biotechnology firms surveys.
While the basic concept of using algae as an alternative and renewable source of biomass feedstock for biofuels has been explored previously, a scalable, sustainable and commercially viable system has yet to emerge. Sugarcanebased biofuels and bioproducts examines the development of a suite of established and developing biofuels and other renewable products derived from sugarcane and sugarcanebased coproducts, such as bagasse. Biotechnology has already reduced the cost of conversion and can. Measuring growth and impacts industrial biotechnology empowers the biobased economy, enhances a broad variety of industries and creates potential for new products. For example, one technology uses algae to convert the co 2 from factory smokestacks into clean, renewable biofuels. Biotechnology education ncbe, philip harris education, blades biological ltd, mindsets, sciento, timstar laboratory suppliers ltd, biorad and edvotek. The journal emphasizes understanding and advancing the application of biotechnology and synergistic operations to improve plants and. The author expresses his thanks to lucas assuncao, simonetta zarrilli, lalen lleander, erwin rose, jennifer burnett, and other unctad staff involved in the biofuels initiative for their helpful comments on early drafts of this publication. The practical activities outlined here are for guidance only. Marine fuels are primarily produced from crude oil, with heavy fuel oil hfo and marine diesel oil mdo being the main fuels used. Production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. Applications of molecular biology for the production of plants for biobased products and biofuels usec task force on biotechnology research western regional research center agricultural research service u. First generation biofuel biofuel made from sugar, starchy crops, vegetable oil or animal fat using conventional technology. To meet this new demand, the global production of biofuels has also.
Department of energy doe is committed to advancing technological solutions to promote and increase the use of clean, abundant, affordable, and domestically and sustainablyproduced biofuels to. Energy information administration biofuels issues and trends 1 highlights biofuels is a collective term for liquid fuels derived from renewable sources, including ethanol, biodiesel, and other renewable liquid fuels. When existing agricultural land is turned over to biofuel production, agriculture has to expand elsewhere to meet the existing and evergrowing demand for crops for food and feed. Applications of molecular biology for the production of. Bioproducts to enable biofuels workshop summary report. Biotechnology for biofuel production and optimizationis the compilation of current research findings that cover the entire process of biofuels production from manipulation of genes and pathways to organisms and renewable feedstocks for efficient biofuel production as well as different cultivation techniques and process scaleup considerations. Bioenergy biofuel solutions dupont nutrition and biosciences. The potential for production of more advanced biofuels is also. Biofuels for transport, including ethanol, biodiesel, and several other liquid and gaseous fuels, have the potential to displace a substantial amount of petroleum around the world over the next few decades, and a clear trend in that direction has begun. Microsoft powerpoint introduction to biotechnology.
Applications of biotechnology to renewable fuel production. The brazilian biofuels industry biotechnology for biofuels full text. Biofuels are substances such as diesel and ethanol that are purified from natural sources and used as fuel. Biofuels being derived from biomass, they are one of the most renewable and biodegradable sources of energy present. Thats why weve partnered with bp plc through our joint venture butamax, to bring costeffective but highly innovative technology to market to create bioisobutanol. Chapters provide broadranging coverage of sugarcane biology, biotechnological advances, and breakthroughs in production and. Industrial biotechnology with its competitive, clean and clever use of biobased technologies can play a key role in making biofuels more. Department of agriculture usda is developing a comprehensive regional strategy to help recharge the rural american economy. Biotechnology for biofuels will emphasize the research and application of biotechnology and synergistic operations to improve plant and biological conversion systems for the production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass, and any related economic. Introduction to biofuel april 30, 2009 eep 142 presented by. Industrial biotechnology with its competitive, clean and clever use of biobased technologies can play a key role in making biofuels more sustainable.
This roadmap is intended to summarize the state of technology for algaebased fuels and. Annie dufey, 2006, biofuels production, trade and sustainable development. The promise and challenges of microalgalderived biofuels. Journal of biotechnology alternative routes to biofuels. Researchers are working on miniature fuel cells powered.
The current status of cellulosic biofuel commercialization paul winters biotechnology industry organization bio the renewable fuel standard rfs signed into law in december 2007 as part of the energy independence and security act of 2007 eisa created aggressive mandates for the production and use of advanced and cellulosic biofuels. Pdf advances and biotechnological applications in biofuel. Introduction to biofuel university of california, berkeley. Biofuels and synthetic biology problematizing the energy crisis. Biotechnology for biofuel production and optimization. Enhancing terpene yields could lead to commercialscale production of these biofuels. Vector figures should if possible be submitted as pdf files, which are usually more compact than eps files. The next generation the energy technology roadmap for the private sector forge a probiofuels alliance encompassing the energy sector, agriculture, the transport industry and the environmental movement test biofuels made from genetically modified crops in regions where regulations and laws permit. The current status of cellulosic biofuel commercialization. Pdf and full text html versions will be made available soon. Biotechnology applications for biofuels figures and. Sugarcane as a potential biofuel crop springerlink. We are innovative solvers who help our customers turn challenges into highvalue business opportunities.
A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Engineered microorganisms or plants to manufacture enzymes used in fuel production. Enhancing microbial pathways for biofuel production. To promote excellence in science and keep the global scientific and research community abreast to the recent advancements and developments taking place in the biomass conversion to biofuels area, 3 biotech will publish a special issue of articles that focus on the application of biotechnology for biofuels in 201220. Education ase, biotechnology and biological sciences research council bbsrc, consortium of local education authorities for the provision. Industrial biotechnology biofuels and climate change. Status and potential for the development of biofuels and. Overview of biofuel pathways a these include gasoline or diesel equivalents, syngas and hydrogen. Research scientists have discovered sugarcane as an alternative biofuel source to conventional petroleum fuels that lead to global warming.
The material in this paper may be reproduced for noncommercial purposes provided full credit is given to the author and to iied. Introduce students to the 3 generations of biofuels and the vocabulary and ideas behind biofuels. Biofuels, generated using microalgae as sustainable energy, have received a lot of attention. Biotechnology for biofuels will emphasize the research and application of biotechnology and synergistic operations to improve plant and. Technologies to produce liquid biofuels for transportation 3 figure 1. Biotechnology for biofuels production aspen institute. Bioproducts to enable biofuels workshop summary report 2 purpose of the workshop is to focus on conversion pathways that exclusively produce biofuels a of fig. Myanmar 56 policy, regulatory, and institutional support for biofuel development 56 national policies and strategies for biofuel development. Introduction to biotechnology project learning tree. The starch from the basic feedstocks is fermented into bioethanol, or the vegetable oil through chemical process to biodiesel. Nan shi doris chen yu hui becky li songxu daniel wu. At your request, ola examined these claims, as well as minnesotas biofuel policies and programs. The authors response letter has been included as a supplementary file. Biofuels are making a resurgence due to increasing oil prices, dwindling fossil fuel reserves, the desire to have a renewable, reliable source of energy and as a way to mitigate the.
Enhanced or engineered microorganisms for fermentation of ethanol, butanol, other fuels. Usda biofuels strategic production report june 23, 2010 1 a usda regional roadmap to meeting the biofuels goals of the renewable fuels standard by 2022 i. The production of biofuels can indirectly cause additional deforestation and land conversion. This report focuses on ethanol and biodiesel, the most widely available biofuels. Improved farming technologies and next generation processes, where biotechnology can play a major role, are needed to improve the ecoefficiency of biofuel production. First, second and third generation the 2nd generation biodiesel includes liquid fuels derived from jatrapha seed oil and from a catalytic conversion pro cess of. This article is published with open access at introduction rising energy prices and depleting reserves of fossil fuels continue to renew interest. Project outcome produce at least 5 gl of both a sesquiterpene biofuel and a phase separated organic acid coproduct that incorporates co. While the use of agricultural residues will certainly have a role in the initial adoption of cellulosic biomass technologies, the application of biotechnology to perennial grass species such as switchgrass, sugarcane and miscanthus over the next several. When you hear fuel, you think car, but biotech processes can run other devices too. It is clear, however, that simply substituting biofuels for fossil fuels without substantial efforts to curb energy demand and improve efficiency is not a sustainable strategy.
As with most technologies, the potential to achieve sustainability objectives does not automatically translate into such goals being realized. The maximum file size for additional files is 20 mb each, and files will be virusscanned on submission. Department of agriculture albany, california april 2830, 2004. Higher quality distillate fuels are primarily used in. Status and potential for the development of biofuels and rural renewable energy. Jan 21, 2015 terpenes are highenergy compounds produced in microbes and plants that could be used for producing biofuels. Biofuels issues and trends energy information administration. We see the future of biofuels as having a variety of solutions that can help create diversified fuels supply for consumers.
The cost of biofuels needs to be estimated not only in terms of energy derived, but also in terms of how much energyresources are required for the production and distribution of biofuels 6. Biofuels derived from renewable feedstocks are environmentally friendly fuels and have the potential to meet more than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050. The purpose of the biofuels information center bic task is to increase deployment of biofuels production facilities and infrastructure by providing essential biofuels data, tools, and information to all stakeholders the bioenergy atlas tools provide interactive maps and analysis of all relevant biomass data with the purpose. Biotechnology reports loves ground breaking science, but will also accept good science that can be of use to the biotechnology community. Practical biofuel activities for school engagement and. The result of biotechnology is a diverse and nearly endless set of practical biotechnology products helping us live longer and healthier lives, have a more abundant and sustainable food supply. We found that traditional biofuels like cornbased ethanol and soybased biodiesel serve a useful purpose. Microalgae can be cultivated at low cost with co 2 and solar energy without competition from edible crops. Furthermore, we analyse the main assumptions, modelling approaches and results of the algal biofuel pathways, in terms of energy and greenhouse gas ghg emissions balances, considered in the lca literature.
Biotechnology for biofuels will emphasize the research and application of biotechnology and synergistic operations to improve plant and biological conversion systems for the production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass, and any related economic, environmental and policy issues. Production of biofuels through the thermochemical pathway. Alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment, cellulosic biofuels, lignin, plant cell wall analysis, analytical pyrolysis background biofuels and green chemicals from plant lignocellulose offer the promise of decreased petroleum consumption with the caveat that technological and economic barriers remain that impede largescale industrial implementation. Microalgal biotechnology appears to possess high potential for biodiesel production because a significant increase in lipid content of microalgae is now possible.
High transition cost from gasoline to biofuels shifting from gasoline to biofuels, given the number of gas. Experience in the region shows that regulatory frameworks play a central role in shaping domestic biofuels markets, and that they should be accompanied by energy efficiency measures. Potential applications of biotechnology to improve renewable fuel production. Technologies to produce liquid biofuels for transportation.
Most of this biofuel is produced from sugarcane in brazil and corn in the united states. Biofuel production has increased dramatically since 2000, impacting markets for. Generations of biofuels objective oregon state university. Biofuels production, trade and sustainable development. Typical algaederived oil recovery methods require cell destruction or lysis to release the oil, however, mdt allows oil to be excreted from live algae so production systems are continuous. The production of energy crops requires land, fertilizers, and farm machinery, while the fermentation and distillation of biofuels needs biomass and water. If additional material is provided, please list the following information in a separate section of the manuscript text. Each additional file should be cited in sequence within the main body of text. Ethanol, biofuels, and pipeline transportation the use of ethanol, as a fuel additive blended with gasoline, and other biofuels has increased markedly during the last several years, due in large part to new laws and regulations. The potential of biofuels in china j susan van dyk a, ling li a, deborah barros leal a, jinguang hu a, xu zhang b, tianwei tan b, jack saddler a a university of british columbia, forest products biotechnology bioenergy group.
Articles in biotechnology for biofuels are listed in pubmed and archived at pubmed central. The role of biotechnology in a sustainable biofuel future. Agriculture biotechnology is improving existing crops and developing new dedicated energy crops 2. Biofuel technology handbook 29 in conclusion, the emissions over the full life cycl e of biofuels, from changes in land use to combustion of fuels, determine their impact on the climate. Many existing biotechnologies can be applied to improve bioenergy production, for example, in developing better biomass feedstocks and improving the ef. Preparing your manuscript biotechnology for biofuels. However, land constraints and economic considerations limit the extent to. Feb 19, 20 rising energy prices and depleting reserves of fossil fuels continue to renew interest in the conversion of biomass to biofuels production. The sugars extracted from sugarcane can be easily fermented to produce ethanol. Sources of biofuels include algae, corn, and switchgrass. The result of biotechnology is a diverse and nearly endless set of practical biotechnology products helping us live longer and healthier lives, have a. Biotechnology for biofuels preparing your manuscript. We also use cuttingedge biotechnology across a range of markets to advance biobased solutions to meet the needs of a growing population, while protecting our environment for future generations.
For a sustainable energy future, the development of efficient biofuel production systems is an important prerequisite. Marine biofuels introduction the shipping sector consumes more than 330 million tons of fuel per year. The biobased economy is poised for accelerated growth, with an abundance of costcompetitive feedstocks, commercial success of. Industrial biotechnology is improving biorefining technology and developing new renewable fuels. How is biotechnology making biofuels more sustainable. A usda regional roadmap to meeting the biofuels goals of. We are pleased to announce a new openaccess journal, biotechnology for biofuels, published online by biomed central. India has a target to increase the proportion of biofuels from 5% to 20% by 2012 4. Biofuels vary in their impact on climate, energy security and ecosystems, depending on the specific processes involved in producing them. Pilotscale conversion of limetreated wheat straw into bioethanol. Biotechnology reports covers all aspects of biotechnology particularly those reports that are useful and informative and that will be of value to other researchers in related fields.
Agriculture biotechnology is improving existing crops and developing new dedicated energy crops. Biotechnology for biofuels production by richard hamilton improved conversion processes recent technology advancements in cellulosic biomass conversion technologies, combined with high fossil fuel prices, have rekindled interest in the potential of cellulosic biofuels. In particular, production hosts must natively have or be endowed with several important characteristics. Pena 2008 biomass part of plants used conversion step products oilseed crops fats and oils chemical transesteri. Dedicated biotechnology firm is a firm whose predominant activity involved the application of biotechnology. Biofuels, including ethanol, and gasoline blends gasoline blended with. It is increasing clear that biofuels can be a viable source of renewable energy in contrast to the finite nature, geopolitical instability, and deleterious global effects of fossil fuel energy.
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