Renewable Fuels

Considering the ever-rising costs of traditional fuel paired with the increasing scarcity of its resources, it’s easy to see why exploring renewable fuels has become an increasingly critical goal for engineers, researchers, and end-users alike. However, due to the great diversity of technologies, policies, and attitudes, it can be difficult to gain a good well-rounded understanding of these types of fuels. Renewable Motor Fuels: The Past, the Present and the Uncertain Future presents an opportunity to gain an insightful understanding of all the key aspects of alternative automotive fuels in one book. Author Arthur Brownstein describes various sources of renewable motor fuels (including ethanol, algae, isobutanol, natural gas, and battery power) and their production processes, specific properties, and economic advantages/disadvantages. This comprehensive coverage of such an important topic is crucial for anyone with an interest in renewable fuels, from researchers to engineers to end-users. Presents a clear overview on a variety of renewable motor fuel technologies, balancing history, technology, and policy Provides the status of current and developing renewable motor fuel technologies and their uses worldwide Discusses the competitive economics of renewable fuel processes and their respective market interactions

In the United States, we have come to depend on plentiful and inexpensive energy to support our economy and lifestyles. In recent years, many questions have been raised regarding the sustainability of our current pattern of high consumption of nonrenewable energy and its environmental consequences. Further, because the United States imports about 55 percent of the nation's consumption of crude oil, there are additional concerns about the security of supply. Hence, efforts are being made to find alternatives to our current pathway, including greater energy efficiency and use of energy sources that could lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as nuclear and renewable sources, including solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels. The United States has a long history with biofuels and the nation is on a course charted to achieve a substantial increase in biofuels. Renewable Fuel Standard evaluates the economic and environmental consequences of increasing biofuels production as a result of Renewable Fuels Standard, as amended by EISA (RFS2). The report describes biofuels produced in 2010 and those projected to be produced and consumed by 2022, reviews model projections and other estimates of the relative impact on the prices of land, and discusses the potential environmental harm and benefits of biofuels production and the barriers to achieving the RFS2 consumption mandate. Policy makers, investors, leaders in the transportation sector, and others with concerns for the environment, economy, and energy security can rely on the recommendations provided in this report.

Biomass for Renewable Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals serves as a comprehensive introduction to the subject for the student and educator, and is useful for researchers who are interested in the technical details of biomass energy production. The coverage and discussion are multidisciplinary, reflecting the many scientific and engineering disciplines involved. The book will appeal to a broad range of energy professionals and specialists, farmers and foresters who are searching for methods of selecting, growing, and converting energy crops, entrepreneurs who are commercializing biomass energy projects, and those involved in designing solid and liquid waste disposal-energy recovery systems. Presents a graduated treatment from basic principles to the details of specific technologies Includes a critical analysis of many biomass energy research and commercialization activities Proposes several new technical approaches to improve efficiencies, net energy production, and economics Reviews failed projects, as well as successes, and methods for overcoming barriers to commercialization Written by a leader in the field with 40 years of educational, research, and commercialization experience

More and more people believe we must quickly wean ourselves from fossil fuels - oil, natural gas and coal - to save the planet from environmental catastrophe, wars and economic collapse. In this 2006 book, Professor Jaccard argues that this view is misguided. We have the technological capability to use fossil fuels without emitting climate-threatening greenhouse gases or other pollutants. The transition from conventional oil and gas to their unconventional sources including coal for producing electricity, hydrogen and cleaner-burning fuels will decrease energy dependence on politically unstable regions. In addition, our vast fossil fuel resources will be the cheapest source of clean energy for the next century and perhaps longer, which is critical for the economic and social development of the world's poorer countries. By buying time for increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy technologies and making nuclear power more attractive, fossil fuels will play a key role in humanity's quest for a sustainable energy system.

This is the second year of operation of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and this report outlines the progress that is being made in encouraging the use of sustainable biofuels in the UK. It provides statistical evidence on an evolving market and highlights good practice as well as those areas where more work is needed. There is potential for biofuels to play a useful role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions without causing substanial environmental damage. However this is unlikely to be achieved without careful planning and regulation.

In 2008/09, the first year of operation, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) met its objective of driving a market for biofuels in the UK. 2.7% of the UK's total road transport fuel supply was biofuel which was slightly over the Government's target of 2.5% and is more than twice the supply of biofuel in 2007/08/. No obligated suppliers pad to 'buy-out' of their obligations. The performance of suppliers in sourcing sustainable fuels was polarised. Whilst several companies met all three of the Government sourcing targets with fully verified data a number also performed poorly. Overall a significant improvement will be required to meet the challenges of the forthcoming EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2008/09 there was also a 46% carbon saving against the Government target of 40%. The biofuels market has not as yet had a large impact on agriculture in the UK and although an effective driver of the market for biofuel, the RTFO did not, during 2008/09, drive increases in the biofuel production capacity in the UK.

Comprehensive text on renewable fuels- key to a net-zero carbon future. Detailing how they are made and used, including case-studies.

Renewable fuels, in the present times, have become important to curb emission of greenhouse gases, which are causing damage to the environment and leading to climatic changes. Ideally, their utilization can be a zero carbon operation. Planting suitable trees on all waste lands and agro forestry on a large scale can fulfil the needs of timber, fuel, fruits, etc. All kinds of lignocellulosic biomass can be converted by several methods to useful liquid fuels like alcohols, biodiesel, methane, renewable diesel and renewable gasoline. Hydrogen can be used as a renewable fuel because of its desirable characteristics and properties for its use as a green fuel.