Currently, the use of fossil fuels is responsible for 80% of the world’s energy needs. However, the depletion of the reserves of these fuels and their contribution to global warming make it necessary to find alternatives quickly. One option is the use of plant-based biofuels.
Priyanka Tirumareddy, a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) in Canada, is tackling the fight head-on with a biotech-based fuel additive that she hopes will help power cars in the future.
How biotechnology can help power cars in the future?
Biomass, such as oat hulls, shredded canola meal, and spent coffee, can be used as the basis for a biofuel that theoretically works in the same way as fossil fuel, but is made solely from plant-based materials. they are more easily generated in nature compared to fossil fuels.
In Canada, there are renewable fuel regulations that require fuel producers to blend gasoline and diesel with at least 5% and 2% ethanol and biodiesel, respectively. This has increased the demand for renewable fuels, and currently, biomass is the only renewable fuel source for the transportation sector that can be used within the prevailing fossil fuel infrastructure.
To meet these fuel standards, Tirumareddy and Dr. Ajay Dalai (PhD), USask Research Chair Professor in Bioenergy and Environmentally Friendly Chemical Processes, are working on the use of biofuels to address global environmental concerns.
In his lab, Tirumareddy and his team can create conditions similar to those that created pilot-scale fossil fuels, where biomass is mixed with water and converted to biofuels in the presence of moderate temperature and high pressure. This process is called hydrothermal liquefaction. Of all the different types of raw materials, mustard meal and canola meal produced bio-oil with high yield and good quality.
One of the limitations of biofuel production is that the oil produced is thick and does not mix easily with petroleum, which is necessary for use in machinery such as cars. To address this problem, Tirumareddy and his team found that the oxygen content of the substance is key.
The highly viscous nature of bio-oil is due to the presence of many hetero compounds and a large amount of oxygen, while crude oil has less oxygen content. By removing oxygenated compounds, high-quality bio-oil can be produced that can be blended with crude oil and used in the transportation sector.
An advantage of working with biofuels in the proposed way is that the manufacturing process with plant-based materials does not interfere with food production, since the inedible parts of plants can be used for the production of these ecological fuels. .
Tirumareddy’s work is just one of many efforts being made around the world to find sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. From biofuel research to the development of more advanced battery technology, there are many exciting advances on the horizon.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the transition to a more sustainable, fossil fuel-free future will require a concerted and collaborative effort from all sectors of society. In addition, government policies and regulation will also play an important role in promoting sustainable alternatives.
