Biofuels Energy | Environment for UPSC 2025 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


BIOFUELS 
Page 2


BIOFUELS 
INTRODUCTION 
A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through 
contemporary processes from biomass, 
rather than a fuel produced by the very slow 
geological processes involved in the 
formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. 
Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an 
organic matter (living or dead) in a short 
period of time (days, weeks, or even months) 
is considered a biofuel. 
Page 3


BIOFUELS 
INTRODUCTION 
A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through 
contemporary processes from biomass, 
rather than a fuel produced by the very slow 
geological processes involved in the 
formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. 
Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an 
organic matter (living or dead) in a short 
period of time (days, weeks, or even months) 
is considered a biofuel. 
INTRODUCTION 
Biofuels are fuels produced directly or indirectly 
from organic material – biomass – including 
plant materials and animal waste. 
More advanced and efficient conversion 
technologies now allow the extraction 
of biofuels from materials such as wood, crops 
and waste material.  
Biofuels can be solid, gaseous or liquid, even 
though the term is often used in the literature in 
a narrow sense to refer only to liquid biofuels 
for transport. 
 
Page 4


BIOFUELS 
INTRODUCTION 
A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through 
contemporary processes from biomass, 
rather than a fuel produced by the very slow 
geological processes involved in the 
formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. 
Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an 
organic matter (living or dead) in a short 
period of time (days, weeks, or even months) 
is considered a biofuel. 
INTRODUCTION 
Biofuels are fuels produced directly or indirectly 
from organic material – biomass – including 
plant materials and animal waste. 
More advanced and efficient conversion 
technologies now allow the extraction 
of biofuels from materials such as wood, crops 
and waste material.  
Biofuels can be solid, gaseous or liquid, even 
though the term is often used in the literature in 
a narrow sense to refer only to liquid biofuels 
for transport. 
 
Solid - Wood, manure, etc 
Liquid - Bioethanol and Biodiesel  
Gaseous - Biogas  
Page 5


BIOFUELS 
INTRODUCTION 
A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through 
contemporary processes from biomass, 
rather than a fuel produced by the very slow 
geological processes involved in the 
formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. 
Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an 
organic matter (living or dead) in a short 
period of time (days, weeks, or even months) 
is considered a biofuel. 
INTRODUCTION 
Biofuels are fuels produced directly or indirectly 
from organic material – biomass – including 
plant materials and animal waste. 
More advanced and efficient conversion 
technologies now allow the extraction 
of biofuels from materials such as wood, crops 
and waste material.  
Biofuels can be solid, gaseous or liquid, even 
though the term is often used in the literature in 
a narrow sense to refer only to liquid biofuels 
for transport. 
 
Solid - Wood, manure, etc 
Liquid - Bioethanol and Biodiesel  
Gaseous - Biogas  
INRODUCTION 
Biofuels may be derived from agricultural crops, 
including conventional food plants or from special 
energy crops. 
Crops used to make biofuels are generally either high in 
sugar (such as sugarcane, sugarbeet, and sweet 
sorghum), starch (such as maize and tapioca) or oils 
(such as soybean, rapeseed, coconut, sunflower). 
 Biofuels may also be derived from forestry, agricultural 
or fishery products or municipal wastes, as well as 
from agro-industry, food industry and food service by-
products and wastes.