Biofuel – can it really power the future of Britain?

Source: https://powerknot.com/2022/08/10/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-biofuels/

Introduction:

This is the first article in the ‘Future of Transport’ series, which takes a closer look at the greener alternatives to traditional petrol- or diesel-powered vehicles. This series is targeted at Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 of the United Nations. Target 7.2 commits the UK to ‘increasing the share of renewable energy’ in the global energy mix, including decarbonising the transport sector.

Biofuels have the potential to play a pivotal role in decarbonising the transport sector. Whilst the major driving force behind lowering transport-related emissions in the domestic sector appears to be focussed around electric vehicles (EVs), biofuels could revolutionise the hard-to-abate sectors such as trucking, shipping and aviation.

What exactly are biofuels?

Biofuels are essentially fuel mixtures that are either partly or wholly derived from living matter such as plant crops. As a result, they are less reliant on traditional fossil fuels and therefore less likely to release harmful emissions.

One of the main benefits of modern biofuels is that they are the most ‘technologically ready’ of existing alternative zero-emission fuel options. The majority of biofuels are known as ‘drop-in’ fuels and can be used in pre-existing combustion engines which negates the need for supplementary technology. In fact, in 2021 the UK government mandated a switch from traditional unleaded petrol to E10 petrol (petrol containing 10% sustainable bioethanol) which is compatible with the vast majority of cars on UK roads.

Biofuel ‘generations’?

Biofuels are commonly categorised into three distinct generations.

First-generation biofuels are produced directly from food crops such as wheat or sugarcane, with rapeseed oil also being a ‘very effective crop for use in biodiesel’. However, they are not widely deployed due to concerns regarding arable land being used for fuel rather than for food.

Second-generation biofuels are derived mainly from non-food crops such as wood, organic waste, and food crop waste. Since they are no longer in direct competition with food for land use, they are considered to be the most inexpensive alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

Finally, third-generation biofuels rely mainly on modified energy crops such as algae which ‘serve as a low-cost, high-energy, fully renewable resource’. Not only are third-generation biofuels advantageous as they are not in direct competition with food requirements, but they also have a ‘high yield per acre (up to 10 times higher than with other biofuels)’.

The challenges associated with biofuels

One of the major challenges associated with the production of biofuel is the divided public opinion on whether land should be used for biofuel or food crops. According to the thinktank Green Alliance, putting an end to biofuel production in the UK could ‘free up food for 3.5 million people and reduce UK food prices’.

According to official government statistics, 121 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy (equivalent to 2.1% of arable land in the UK). Whilst the increased use of generation two or three biofuels would effectively combat this issue, the technology needed to scale up these newer and more innovative fuels is either not available or there is inadequate public appetite for it.

This becomes increasingly problematic when considering that the UK is in fact a net importer of biofuels, primarily from the US and China. In addition to this, the vast majority of imported biofuels are produced using virgin crops rather than being generated from waste.

The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) is a policy designed by the UK government in an attempt to decrease the overall emissions associated with the transport sector. Recently, the UK has announced that it will increase the biofuel blending mandate from 9.6% in 2021 to 14.6% by 2032 under the RTFO. Despite the reductions in emissions this would inevitably bring, many warn that if there is an increase in generation one biofuel reduction in the UK, food security may well be jeopardised.

Green Alliance’s policy director Dustin Benton said: “If the UK acts alongside its international partners, halving crop-based biofuels could free up enough grain to offset all of Ukraine’s exports. Cutting back on biofuels is the fastest way of addressing global hunger in this crisis.”

Conclusions:

Despite the numerous challenges biofuels face, they do indeed have the potential to transform the transport industry and in doing so, help the UK reach its net zero target by 2050.

For the UK to take full advantage of the emissions reduction biofuels could bring, there must be a greater focus on scaling up the production of generation two and three biofuels. If both the scalability and cost-effectiveness of biofuels are improved and invested in, they may indeed have the potential to revolutionise the commercial transport sector whilst having a negligible impact on food security in the UK.

By Joseph Trim.