What is Bioenergy ?

What is Bioenergy ?

Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass, which is organic material such as wood, plants, or animal wastes. Bioenergy can be used to generate electricity, produce heat, and also for the production of biofuels. The three main areas of bioenergy are:-  

• Biomass
• Biogas
• Biofuels
• Co-firing

   

Biomass

Biomass can be burned to produce electricity, hot water or hot air. Direct combustion is the simplest and most common method of generating energy from biomass. For small-scale applications, the fuel usually takes the form of wood pellets, chips and logs. Wood pellets are a compact form of wood, with low moisture content & high energy density. Larger applications use fuels such a miscanthus and willow, which are short rotation crops.

The energy content of the fuel used depends on the moisture content. A higher moisture level will slow down the combustion process, as the water has to boil off before the fuel burns.

Agricultural Waste

Wood is not the only form of biomass that can be burnt to produce energy. Other forms of biomass produced by farmers are by-products of conventional agricultural activity. They include 'dry' agricultural wastes such as straw, damaged grain or seeds, even animal bedding has been tried as a fuel. These wastes vary in their efficiency, but for farmers who burn these wastes for heat, they can represent a useful and cheap fuel source.

  

'Wet' agricultural wastes such as manure can also be used to generate heat and electricity by a process called Anaerobic Digestion.

  

Electricity

In biomass electricity generation, biomass is combusted and heat is produced, which is then used to generate electricity.

 Biomass Heating

Biomass heating systems produce either hot water or hot air. The biomass is combusted in a furnace, where it heats either air or water. Hot air production is used primarily for space heating, and hot water can be used either as part of a domestic hot water system or for heating systems such as central heating and underfloor heating. In hot water systems, a heat exchange system can be used to heat water tanks etc.

 Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

Combined heat and power systems can also be used – the biomass is burned to produce both electricity and heat. CHP is an efficient way to use the biomass, as it uses the waste heat from generation as useful energy.

  

Biogas

Biogas is a mixture comprising mainly methane and carbon dioxide. It is produced when organic matter decomposes in the absence of oxygen. This can take place in a landfill site to give landfill gas or in an anaerobic digester to give biogas. Sewage gas is biogas produced by the digestion of sewage sludge.

An anaerobic digester produces conditions that encourage the natural breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of air, so that the biomass breaks down much faster than usual.

Anaerobic digestion is a method for turning residues from livestock farming and food processing industries into biogas, fibre and a liquid called 'digestate'. The outputs from the digestion process are:

Biogas – a mixture of 60% methane, 40% carbon dioxide and traces of other gases. Biogas can be burnt to produce either heat or energy. The biogas is burnt in the same was as natural gas, and the resultant heat can either be used for space heating, hot water systems, or to generate electricity or as a road fuel.

Digestate – an inert and sterile wet product containing valuable plant nutrients and organic humus which can be applied to land as a soil conditioner and biofertilizer.

  

Biofuels

Biofuels are fuels made from biomass (organic matter) which can be used instead of traditional fossil fuels. Biofuels are most commonly used for transport, but are also used for small heating applications

The three most common biofuels are:

• Biodiesel
• Bioethanol
• Biomethanol

Biodiesel is derived from vegetable oils, and can either replace diesel completely or be mixed in different proportions. It is most commonly blended, as it gives better performance, and in the UK car warranties are made invalid if biodiesel is used to replace diesel completely. This type of biofuel can be used in diesel engines with no modifications. Typical feedstocks for biodiesel are mainstream agricultural crops such as oilseed rape (Northern Europe) and sunflower oil (Southern Europe).

Bioethanol is produced from a variety of agricultural feedstock, including starch crops, sugar crops and woody crops. By-products from the sugar industry, such as molasses, can also be used. The most typical feedstocks are wheat and sugar beet (Northern Europe) and sweet sorghum (Southern Europe). Bioethanol can be used in existing petrol engines, although some petrol is needed in addition to the fuel when cold starting.

Biomethanol is produced from wood, and is used in existing petrol engines in the same way as bioethanol. It is not as common as either biodiesel or bioethanol.

Co-firing

Co-firing refers to the simultaneous combustion of a supplementary fuel (i.e. biomass) with a base fuel (i.e. coal). Co-firing biomass with coal is seen as the cheapest way of generating green power in utility plants. In addition it also reduces the emissions of fossil based carbon dioxide and is accredited under the Renewables Obligation. From a community services perspective, biomass co-firing represents an opportunity to add value to raw materials.

After 31st March 2006 co-firing coal with biomass will only be eligible under the Renewables Obligation if 75 % or more of the energy content of the biomass derives from energy crops. The co-firing of coal and biomass will only be eligible under the Renewables Obligation until 31st March 2011.

Co-firing can be subdivided into: Direct Co-firing: biomass and coal are fired in the same compartment. Indirect Co-firing: combustion/ gasification of biomass occurs in a separate facility.

( Source:http://www.bioenergywm.co.uk/  )

  

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What is biomass?

The following are some consensus definitions of biomass at European and International level: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Definition of renewable biomass: "The biomass is the non-fossil fraction of an industrial or municipal waste." Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Definition of solid biomass: "Biomass is defined as any plant matter used directly as fuel or converted into other forms before combustion." EU's Waste Framework Directive: "bio-waste" means biodegradable garden and park waste, food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises and comparable waste from food processing plants" International Energy Agency (IEA) Definition of Biomass: "Solid Biomass products, gas and liquids derived from biomass and the renewable part of municipal waste." European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) Definition of Biodegradable Waste: "Biodegradable waste is the biomass that can cover several forms of waste such as organic fraction of municipal solid waste, wood waste, refuse-derived fuels, sewage sludge, etc." On the other hand, among definitions of biomass which can be found in government agencies, research institutions and universities in Malaysia are: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Physics Definition of Biomass: "The term, biomass should be used not only to refer to lignocellulosic materials but to encompass all plant and animal matter i.e. any organic matter. However as the contribution from animal matter is only a small percentage of the total, the term biomass is generally used to refer to organic matter from plants." Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Definition of Biomass: "Biomass is a cellulose material which can be broadly classified as woody and non-woody. Non-woody biomass that can be used as a fuel include agricultural residue such as bagasse, straws, husks, and pits. Also, manure can be used as a fuel. Wood fuel includes round wood (cord wood), limb wood, wood chip, bark, sawdust, forest residues, charcoal, pulp waste, and spent pulping liquor." Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Energy Research Alliance (ERA) "Biomass is a form of biological matter that can be utilized as a kind of fuel or in other industrial processes. The most common types of biomass are wood, grass or agricultural crops." Is there biomass industry? The biomass industry represents several different industries brought together by the utilization of renewable organic matters including timber waste, oil palm waste, rice husk; coconut trunk fibers, municipal waste, sugar cane waste, etc. These organic materials have the potential to be used in the manufacturing of value-added eco-products composites, bio-fertilizers, bio-pellets, etc.) and the generation of renewable energy. Biomass in Malaysia remains untapped despite its abundant resources in our country. Every year, a minimum of 168 million tonnes of biomass are produced. There are also hundred types of biomass-related research an activities currently undertaken by public research institutions. A lot of policies developed to facilitate the uptake on biomass and renewable energy among SMEs are still underway, limiting the efficiencies of coordination among local agencies and biomass industry in Malaysia. There is no reliable and clear data on the potential of biomass in the market Limited incentives and funding support are provided to bear the high cost of initial investment In response to the global fight against climate change, biomass definitely has a firm position in the national agenda. As such, the commercialisation of biomass resources is no longer about simply profit-making. The issue is growing to be more complex and more diverse, therefore it opens an opportunity for engagement between different stakeholders which are inclusive of government, industry and research institutions. ( Source:http://www.biomass-sp.net/ 2010 )

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Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy is readily available and easy to extract. For the country, biomass utilization leads to substantial economical and environmental gains. For businesses, exploiting renewable resources enhances profit margins and eliminates waste disposal costs. The potential to utilise huge biomass reserves and solar resources allows progressive companies can generate electricity exports, seek regional markets and expand opportunities from lower manufacturing costs.

In the Eighth Malaysian Plan, Renewable Energy was announced as the fifth fuel in the energy supply mix. Renewable Energy is being targeted to be a significant contributor to the country's total electricity supply. With this objective in mind, greater efforts are being undertaken to encourage the utilization of renewable resources, such as biomass, biogas, solar and mini-hydro, for energy generation.

The Government has launched several fiscal incentives to stimulate the emergence of RE activities and technologies. Palm oil mills, sawmills, manufacturers and large institutions can start to benefit immediately by using local technology to generate income and reduce operating costs. Renewable energy resources are available in two primary forms: biomass residues from agriculture wastes (palm oil waste, wood waste, rice husks, etc.), municipal solid waste and energy from the sun.

Many companies are already taking advantage of renewable energy technologies to begin reaping energy cost savings and revenue:

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  TSH Bio Energy Sdn. Bhd. – As the first biomass RE project using empty fruit bunches as fuel, the company sold electricity to TNB at 21.25 sen/kwh.

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  Jana Landfill – By producing biogas and converting it to electricity, this project, the first RE grid-connected project in Peninsula Malaysia, eventually sold power to TNB at 16.7 seb/kwh.

• 
  
  Bekok Kiln Drying and Moulding Sdn. Bhd. – By converting a fuel oil boiler to one that burns wood waste, annual fuel savings alone amount to RM 2 million.

• 
  
  Awana Kijal Golf & Beach Resort – By installing a solar water heating system to supply up to 35% of its consumption needs at a cost of RM 400,000, the resort continues to save on energy and maintenance and paid back its investment in only six years.

For Malaysia, embarking on renewable energy provides benefits that enable the country to remain strong. Among these include an improved balance of trade, foreign exchange savings, more competitive industries, new export markets, employment opportunities, lower consumer prices and a better environment.

Renewable energy is a commodity just like any other form of energy. It has a major role in meeting energy demand needs and combating global warming. Presently, RE represents a prime opportunity to seek alternative energy options. Getting on board with RE today, secures your energy needs for the future.

(Source: Kettha)

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Renewable Energy Facts

Below are some Renewable Energy facts that you might find interesting. We would also like to hear from you if you have additional facts that we have not included. You can submit your entires at the foot of this email. In the meantime, here are the facts you were looking for..

Solar

1. If it could be properly harnessed, enough sunlight falls on the earth in just one hour to meet world energy demands for a whole year
2. Ever the innovator, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics 1921 for his ground-breaking experiments with solar power and photovoltaics
3. A world record was set in 1990 when a solar-powered aircraft flew across the USA in 21 stages, using no fuel at all
4. About half of worldwide production of solar panels is consumed by Japan. Their purpose is mostly for grid connected residential applications
5. The sun is 109 times bigger than the Earth. The sun's radius being 696,000km and the Earth's radius 6, 376km
6. The sun's average surface temperature is 5700 C. The Earth's average temperature is 20 C. And we are worrying about global warming of some 3C!
7. Solar radiation of about 19% is absorbed by the atmosphere, and clouds reflect a further 35% of the total solar energy. Therefore solar energy received a sea level is much less. Its peak power is generally accepted to be 1,020 W/m²
8. Solar cells have about a 15% efficiency rate in converting that energy. Therefore solar panels deliver only 19 to 56 W/m² or 0.45-1.35 kWh/m²/day of that average power. But that does not make solar energy inefficient!
9. The average solar energy falling on Australia is equivalent to about 15.000 (fifteen thousand!) times the nation's present total energy use. At 15% conversion rate that is still more than 2000 times the present need, providing we could capture it all
10. Africa's Sahara desert, assuming 15% efficient solar cells, could generate more than 450 tarawatt (TW) per year. Current annual global energy consumption, including fossil and renewable sources is about 13 TW
11. It only takes 1% of the earth's deserts solar energy to provide more electricity than is currently produced by fossil fuels

WIND

1. The largest wind turbine in the world, located in Hawaii, stands 20 storeys tall and has blades the length of a football pitch
2. One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes
3. An average wind speed of just 14mph is needed to convert wind energy into electricity; that shouldn't be too hard to come by most countries!
4. There is evidence that wind energy was used to propel boats along the Nile as early as 5000BC
5. The earliest known windmills were in Persia (Iran) and looked like large paddle wheels
6. In 200BC people in China and the Middle East used windmills to pump water and grind grain
7. The UK is the windiest country in Europe, so much so that they could power the whole country several times over using wind energy
8. Wind is the fastest growing energy source worldwide
9. Below 8-10 mph wind speed, wind turbines do not generate power and have to cut out for safety reasons above 56 mph
10. In 2007 it was estimated that only 1 - 2% of the worlds energy supply comes from a renewable wind energy source
11. In recent years wind energy has provided for over 20% of the power consumption of Denmark, providing energy for a large number of homes and businesses throughout the country each year.
12. As of 2005, wind energy has successfully provided for roughly 1% of the world's energy needs, with the United States being the third largest wind energy producing country in the world and Germany holding steady as the leader in renewable energy sources.
13. Experts estimate that in the United States alone if the 10 windiest states were to fully utilize their available wind sources the energy produced could offset the entire coal-based power production facilities currently being used and replace them entirely.
14. If properly developed, wind power could successfully reduce carbon emissions in the US by at least one third every year and help realize a global carbon dioxide reduction of 4% yearly.
15. When power provides excellent supplement all income as well, as a landowner with a single utility-scale turbine installed on their property could realize financial gains above at least $2000 a year.
16. Developing and maintaining a wind turbine power generator is also an excellent source for jobs and has helped provide income for thousands of families in rural areas that may not necessarily be available otherwise.
17. A basic wind energy generator can be developed at home with basic materials that may be available at your house for a relatively cheap price, allowing for affordable energy production with significantly little cost – something that may not be available in other forms of energy production.
18. It is estimated that if offshore energy farms were to be developed to feed power directly back into local power grids then the entire energy needs of countries such as the United States could easily be covered as offshore wind energy generators can produce energy at roughly 7 times the efficiency of their onshore variants.
19. In order to replace all energy consumption needs of the world with wind power production approximately 13% of all land will need to be developed for wind energy purposes, assuming the placement of six large wind power generators per square kilometer in any given area 80 meters above sea level in order to maximize wind energy potential. This can of course be lowered if we were to rely upon offshore wind energy production facilities as well as onshore ones.
20. As further developments in wind energy production continue to drive down the costs necessary to establish wind energy producers and other developments come about, such as the implementation of vertical axis wind turbines over the traditional horizontal axis wind turbines, wind power is becoming increasingly common even in cities where generators can be found on the tops of some skyscrapers and high-rises residential buildings alike.

WATER

1. Water as a renewable energy power source has been grinding grain for over 2000 years.
2. Water is the most commonly used renewable energy resource, providing enough power to meet the needs of 28.3 million people

GEOTHERMAL

1. In the Philippines, geothermal power provides 18% of their energy thanks to the presence of volcanoes.
2. The geothermal energy from the core of the Earth is closer to the surface in some areas than in others. Where hot underground steam or water can be tapped and brought to the surface it can be used to generate electricity
3. Those clever old Romans not only gave us the modern drainage system and many of our roads, they were also among the first to use geothermal energy to heat houses

BIOENERGY

1. 125 years ago biomass was providing up to 90% of our energy needs through the use of wood
2. Liquid biofuels account for around 2% of road transport fuels worldwide but growth rates and future potential are significant
3. Woody biomass includes forest products and short rotation coppice (such as willow which are quick to grow and therefore easy to sustain)
4. Non-woody biomass includes animal waste, industrial and biodegradable municipal products from food processing and high energy crops such as rape, sugar cane and Maize
5. 40,000 head of cattle can produce enough manure feedstock to generate 5 MW of electricity through biogas.
6. Ethanol has a higher octane rating than normal gasoline.
7. Biodiesel can be made with waste oil from restaurant deep fryers.
8. The main byproduct of biodiesel is glycerine which has over 1,500 applications including food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
9. Ethanol has been used as a motor fuel in North America since the early 1900s. Ethanol gas blends were used in several states during the Second World War.
   
   

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Positive Developments For Palm Oil Despite Anti-palm Oil Lobby

Malaysia's palm oil industry is worth about RM50 billion annually and chances are that revenue may even touch RM60 billion this year, if current prices remain steady until the end of the year.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) [WorldofBioenergy.com]

That crude palm oil is being sold at RM2,550 a tonne is certainly good news for planters, smallholders and all those associated with the industry.

But then there are detractors. It has been reported that the European Union (EU), through its environmental ministries and commissions, has been involved in funding up to 70 per cent of the operating budgets of environmental NGOs in efforts to paint a not-so-rosy picture about palm oil.

And these NGOs have been viciously campaigning against palm oil imports into the EU, especially for biofuels, says Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron, CEO of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, who regards this as a "senseless and immoral attack on exported commodities such as palm oil produced by developing countries."

Writing in his blog, he said, such funding implicates the EU for creating barriers to trade for agricultural products from developing countries.

"Unlike the EU, developing countries do not have access to financial resources to fight such government funded vicious campaigns. The eventual outcome will be untold miseries where poor farmers in developing countries lose their source of income as their export commodities are unable to enter the EU market," he said.

This is something which palm oil-producing countries will have to seriously address if the livelihood of their planters and farmers is to be safeguarded. Almost half a million people are employed by the palm oil industry in Malaysia.

Interestingly, a campaign by Friends of the Earth to pressure the European Commission (EC) to rule "a tree plantation is not a forest" that restricts the recognition of palm oil as a renewable biofuel in the EU may have failed.
According to a newsletter produced by "Palm Oil - Green Development Campaign", this means that the EC may classify oil palm plantations as forests, which would therefore meet the sustainability criteria of the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED).

Under RED, land which used to contain primary forest prior to 2008 but no longer does, cannot be used for biofuel feedstock to meet the EU's 10 per cent target under RED.

It has been reported that the draft guidelines define a "forested area" as "areas where trees have reached, or can reach, at least heights of five metres, making up a crown cover of more than 30 per cent". They would normally include forest, forest plantations and other tree plantations such as palm oil.

"The EC's position would therefore recognise that the important property of tropical forests for climate change policy is the high sequestering capacity of tropical foliage, tall wooded plants and multi-decade crop rotation.

Short rotation coppice [the practice of repeatedly cutting young tree stems down] may qualify if it fulfils the height and canopy cover criteria," the newsletter stated.

It would seem that the EC has recognised the environmental benefits of palm oil as highly energy efficient, high yield and economically beneficial biofuel as the oil palm trees sequester or remove more carbon dioxide than other biofuel crops.

Another development that has put palm oil in positive light is research from Wageningen University in the Netherlands which shows that "palm oil is the most efficient energy crop."

The university's finding is a rejection of environmental NGOs and the anti-palm oil lobbyists who consistently claim that palm oil is unsustainable.

Its research found that palm oil, sugar cane and sweet sorghum are currently the most sustainable energy crops. These commodities also produce "far smaller quantities of greenhouse gases than fossil fuels".

The university's analysis considered nine different energy crops against nine different sustainability criteria with palm oil coming out on top while biofuel from maize from the United States and wheat from Europe scored far lower.

The report's author, Sander de Vries, concluded that sustainable sugar canes and oil palms get the most energy per hectare and cause the least environmental damage.

De Vries also highlighted a major advantage of the oil palm crop was that, unlike other energy crops, it produces enough residue to power the oil extraction processes.

Another positive development for palm oil took place in the European Parliament recently when Dr Gernot Pehnelt, founder and director of GlobEcon, an independent research and consulting institute based in Germany, released a new study that revealed the prejudiced nature of the EU's Renewable Energy Directive towards foreign biofuels.

The report, entitled "European Policies Towards Palm Oil: Sorting Out Some Facts," demonstrated that the assumptions contained in the directive about the ecological impact of foreign biofuels reflected political and not scientific or economic reality.

Dr Pehnelt came to the defence of the rich biodiversity in oil palm plantations, their excellent crown cover that oil palms provide and the yield per hectare advantages of this low-energy and low-fertilizer crop.

"Sadly, many of the claims that foreign biofuels, specifically palm oil, are a threat to the environment are seriously flawed, some even completely unfounded," he said, adding that the side effects of the flawed policies could give rise to political friction and trade disputes to severe economic handicaps for developing countries.

"This new study makes a strong case that RED discriminates against non-EU producers of biofuels, such as Asian palm oil.

"Perhaps most importantly, palm oil acts as a substantial driver of economic growth in the developing world, drastically reducing hunger and poverty in regions that actively cultivate this valuable crop.

"It's time for Europe to not only recognise the energy and environment benefits of palm oil, but also the suffering in low-income, tropical countries that palm oil critics continue to perpetuate," said Dr Pehnelt, who has been invited by MPOC to speak on "European policies towards palm oil - setting the record straight" at the International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference in Kota Kinabalu from May 23 to 25.

The MPOC says that the conference will feature the latest developments, breakthroughs and technologies related to the sustainable development of the palm oil industry, with a focus on major issues such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), carbon footprint, sustainable production, certification and branding, biodiversity conservation and the corporate social responsibility of the palm oil industry.

Over the years, palm oil has emerged to have a huge multiplier effect to the Malaysian economy, with almost half a million people employed in the industry.

Additional workforce is also required to run downstream processing industries as palm oil is a multi-commodity industry.

It is not just palm oil, but also palm kernel oil and palm kernel cake, which have different market and applications. Oil palm biomass and methane can also be used to produce electricity.

Currently, there are 600 million oil palms in Malaysia that could be also harvested and converted into fibre products, including medium density fibre boards as well as pulp and paper. Oil palms are also harvested to make furniture.

"Put all this together, palm oil is a very important and vibrant industry, which makes a lot of money for the country," said MPOC's Dr Yusof.

Malaysia has been working very hard to make its palm oil industry environmentally-friendly and socially responsible. Oil palm is only planted on land designated for agricultural production.

Today, Malaysia still maintains 56 per cent of its total land area under forest, thereby keeping its pledge made at the 1992 Rio Summit to keep at least 50 per cent of its land area under forest intact. It is certainly food for thought for the detractors.

Source: Bernama, Yong Soo Heong

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About Biofuels

General

What is Biofuel ?
Biofuels are any fuel derived from biomass. Agricultural products specifically grown for conversion to biofuels include corn and soybeans. R&D is currently being conducted to improve the conversion of non-grain crops, such as switchgrass and a variety of woody crops, to biofuels.
The energy in biomass can be accessed by turning the raw materials of the feedstock, such as starch and cellulose,into a usable form. Transportation fuels are made from biomass through biochemical or thermochemical processes.
Known as biofuels, these include ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, biocrude, and methane.

Use and Availability of Biofuels

Ethanol blends of E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) can be and are sold at gasoline fueling stations across the U.S. Ethanol in higher blends, such as E85, is also sold at gasoline fueling stations across the U.S., but requires modified fueling equipment.

Are biofuels more expensive than their petroleum-based counterparts?

Because the cost of any type of fuel - gasoline, diesel, ethanol, biodiesel - varies over time due to a variety of market, political, and production factors, it is difficult to say at any one time whether or not biofuels are sold for more or less than traditional petroleum-based fuels in the marketplace. On average, biofuels are generally comparable to traditional fuels in sales price, although they may be higher or lower at times, depending on gasoline and diesel prices. The non-monetary benefits of biofuels - such as environmental, national security, and local economy benefits - may also be taken into consideration by the consumer, even if they are not reflected in the cost of biofuels versus traditional fuels.


Will I get lower gas mileage with ethanol-blended fuels than with traditional gasoline?

The fuel economy of E85 is lower than that of gasoline by 10 to 15 percent, as E85 has less energy content (about 0.72 of gasoline). However, flex fuel vehicles can be tuned to run optimally on E85 (whereas, as currently sold, they are optimized for gasoline), reducing the mileage loss significantly. For more information please visit National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.

Can ethanol be transported, stored, and dispensed within existing petroleum infrastructure?

Lower ethanol blends, such as E10, are currently mixed with gasoline and transported, stored, and dispensed in existing infrastructure. Higher ethanol blends, such as E85, however, require separate infrastructure because E85 cannot beused in all vehicles, and because E85 can corrode some materials. In many cases, existing petroleum fuel infrastructure can be used to transport and store E85, as long as they are properly cleaned and the fuels are not mixed. Special E85-compatible pump dispensers are available, and can be incorporated into existing fueling stations. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, and National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition jointly published the Handbook for Handling, Storing, and Dispensing E85 (PDF 1.7 MB), which contains more detail on this issue.

Production and Technology

How are biofuels created from plant material?

How a fuel is produced from plant materials can depend on a variety of factors, including the feedstock (or biomass plant material) being used and the fuel one desires to produce. For more information on the types of biomass feedstock available and the types of fuels that can be produced from them see the Office of the Biomass Program Biomass Feedstocks website and Biomass Today website.

Ethanol and biodiesel are the two most common types of biofuels. There are two primary types of conversion methods used to produce ethanol from biomass resources: biochemical conversion and thermochemical conversion. Biochemical conversion refers to the process where biomass is separated into its component parts, starch and cellulose. In water, both starch and cellulose can be broken down further to multiple sugars, which can than be fermented to produce ethanol. Thermochemical conversion heats the feedstock with no oxygen to produce synthesis gas (syngas). The syngas can be fermented to produce ethanol.In the U.S., biodiesel is produced from the oil in soy beans, canola, and other agricultural products. The oils from the plant material are reacted with methanol to produce methyl esters (commonly known as biodiesel) and glycerin. For every 100 lbs of biodiesel produced approximately 10 lbs of glycerin is produced; glycerin is an ingredient in hand lotions and soaps.

What other materials can be produced from biomass?

Biomass can be used to produce any number of common products based on the feedstock (or biomass plant material) chosen. Specific products include but are not limited to plastics, polymers, carpets, fabrics, detergents, fabrics, and lubricants.

Programmatic

What is the R&D focus of the Office of the Biomass Program?

The R&D focus of the Biomass Program is on the development of the integrated biorefinery which includes both biological and thermochemical conversion processes. Currently, the Program is organized to address the technological R&D needs of each stage in the biorefinery: feedstock interface, biochemical conversion, thermochemical conversion, and product development.

Feedstock R&D is focused on the reduction of biomass harvesting and storage costs. Biochemical conversion R&D is currently the highest priority for the program. It is focused on reducing the cost of producing mixed sugars by overcoming the difficulty of separating biomass into its components (cellulose and lignin). The thermochemical conversion R&D focus is developing technologies that convert the residues from the biochemical conversion process into fuels, heat and chemicals. The focus of product development is on the development of fermentation microorganisms.

(Source from: http://www.worldofrenewables.com/)

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Green Technology Financing Scheme

In the budget speech for 2010, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia announced the establishment of Green Technology Financing Scheme amounting to RM1.5 billion as an effort to improve the supply and utilization of Green Technology. The scheme could benefit companies who are producers and users of green technology.

As a sign of commitment, the Government will bear 2% of the total interest/profit rate. In addition, the Government will provide a guarantee of 60% on the financing amount via Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (CGC), with the remaining 40% financing risk to be borne by participating financial institutions (PFIs).

The Prime Minister also appoint the Pusat Teknologi Hijau Negara as the conduit for the Green Technology Financing Scheme (GTFS) application. The scheme is expected to provide benefits to more than 140 companies of which the application will be open starting from 1st January 2010. (Source from http://gtfs.my/)

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