Biofuel generation from wastes

Vinars dawaneM.Phil 1st semCUG,Ganghinagar,guirat

Biofuel

A gaseous, liquid, or solid substance of biological 

origin that is used as a fuel.

Bio fuels are a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

A biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation.

Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases.

Benefits of biofuel

http://http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/printable_versions/environmental.html.

Current biofuel scenario :

Source - Food or fuel? What European farmers can contribute to Europe's transport energy requirements and the Doha Round, Jennifer Baka et al, Energy Policy,2009.

Biofuel production steps :

Source – angela doku et al, biofuel production form waste water bodies.1999.

First Generation of Biofuels productionBiofuel type Specific name Feedstock Conversion

TechnologiesPure vegetable oil plant oil , Straight

vegetable oil (SVO)

Oil crops (e.g. rapeseed, oil palm, soy, canola, jatropha, castor)

Cold pressing extraction

Bioethanol Conventional bio-ethanol

Sugar beet, sugar cane, grain

Hydrolysis and fermentation

Biodiesel - Biodiesel from energy crops: methyl and ethyl esters of fatty acids.- Biodiesel from waste.

--Oil crops (e.g. rapeseed, oil palm, soy, canola, jatropha, castor, …).- Waste cooking/frying oil.

- Cold and warm pressing extraction, purification, and transesterification.- Hydrogenation.

Biogas Upgraded biogas Wet Biomass. Anaerobic digestion

Second Generation Biofuels productionBiofuel type Specific name Feedstock Conversion

Technologies

Bioethanol Cellulosic bioethanol Lignocellulosic biomass and biowaste

Advanced hydrolysis & fermentaion

Biodiesel and Biogas Biomass to Liquid (BTL), Fischer-Tropsch (FT) diesel, synthetic (bio)diesel

Lignocellulosic biomass and residues

Pyrolysis/Gasification & synthesis

Biohydrogen Lignocellulosic biomass and biowaste

Gasification & synthesis or biological process

Other biofuels Biomethanol, heavier (mixed) alcohols, biodimethylether (Bio-DME)

Lignocellulosic biomass and residues

Gasification & synthesis

Case study:Production of biofuel from waste (Chicken Greases)

Transesterification

Figure 1: Qualitative diagram of the conversion of chicken crude to methyl and intermediate products during the course of the reaction [Source: Knothe, et al (2005)]

Results Oil rate from extraction reaches 28%. Conversation rate of greases to bio fuel is 98%.

Source- production of biofuel from chicken crude ,m.f.atitar et al,2008.

Case study :- Comparative genomics of xylose-fermenting fungi for enhanced biofuel

production.Dana J. Wohlbach etal,2011.

Pantose xylose is second most abundant sugar in agricultural residues and wood wastes.

Native Saccharomyces cerevisia doesn’t consume xylose.

Adding two genes –xylose reductase (Xyl1) and xylitol dehydrogenase (Xyl2) from the xylose-fermenting Pichia stipitis.

Fig. overexpression of xyl1 and xyl2 genes in serc. Result - Candidate Genes Improve Xylose Utilization.

CtAKR improves Scer xylose utilization. Where CtAKR is a member of the large protein family that includes xylose reductases. And glycerol produced in wild-type strain (aqua blue) or mutant strains carrying pCtAKR (gray).

Biofuel from grass clippings From farm waste such as corn stalks, grass,

weeds and wood . Process called Enzymatic hydrolysis. Use Genetic engineering modified noval bacterial

catalysts. Modified E.coli.

Nanofarming The technology will make use of nanoparticles to

absorb fatty acids from living microalgae. The technology allows biofuel production from

algae without destroying the cells. Example Green Microalgae: Botryococcus braunii.

Novozymes’ tech convert agricultural waste into biofuel

Danish biotechnology company Novozymes has developed a new enzyme that can convert maize, wheat, straw and woodchips into ethanol for as little as 32 % per liter.

The new enzyme, known as Cellic CTec2, breaks down cellulose in the waste into simple sugars, which are then used to produce the ethanol.

Joule Biotechnologies’ Helioculture A unique process that converts carbon dioxide into liquid

biofuel using a solar converter. Helioculture produces fuel directly - either ethanol or

hydrocarbons (unlike- fuel from algae). Does not produce biomass.

Super bug to produce fuel from hydrogen and CO2

(researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of

Georgia)

Extremophile( pyrococcus furiosus), a super bug that creates butanol or ethanol.

The bug skips the entire photosynthetic sugar-making step and would create liquid fuels directly from hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Extremophiles will be able to live without water and will be highly resistant to radiation, which makes them ideal for biofuel production.

Conclusion

No , energy source is 100% perfect. And biofuels are not the answer to sustainable energy but biofuels may be part of the answer.

The cheaper cost, diverse source, reduction of carbon emission, renewability, and non toxicity of biofuels making them to precious for us.

Modern technologies like synthetic biology, use of thermo-chemicals and nanotechnology helping us to make biofuel more efficient and may give us a more energy secure future.

References : Engineering microbes for tolerance to next generation biofuels,

Mary J Dunlop, p Biotechnology for Biofuels 2011. Eco friend : http://

www.ecofriend.com/10-most-comprehensive-breakthroughs-in-biofuel-production.html.

Alternative energy: http://www.alternative-energynews.info/getting-biofuel-from-the-worlds-gabage.

Comparative genomics of xylose-fermenting fungi for enhanced biofuel production, Dana J. Wohlbacha et al,2011.

Biodiesel production and the transesterification process, http://www.biomassenergy.gr/en/articles/technology/biodiesel/505-biodiesel-production-and-the-transesterification-process.

Thank you ….