The price of oil is sky rocketing. It has already touched the US$100 mark. Geopolitical tensions around the world may push it still higher. The oil crush may not be short lived this time it seems. It has already started seriously impacting upon economic development. Major economies are already showing signs of slowing down. If this, continue for a while global recession is not an unrealistic probability. Days of easy oil are gone. It is getting increasingly difficult and costly to find new reserves. The world reserve is depleting fast. Reserves of other alternative traditional non renewable fossil fuels like coal and natural gas are also depleting. Coal is now considered as the main culprit for Greenhouse Gas Emissions. There has been tremendous pressure from environmentalists to reduce coal burning. Clean coal technology may take still a decade to take effect. Renewable energy like Solar, Wind, Wave, Hydro are long way yet to take the central stage.

 

On the backdrop of above more and more people are getting interested about the use of bio fuels. Common people have various basic questions about bio fuels. Scientists and environmentalists have mixed feelings about bio diesel and other bio fuels and their impacts on environment. The write up addresses some basics of bio fuels, its present status and future possibilities.

 

Bio fuel hit the headlines of many leading dailies of the world on 25^th February when the Boeing 747, operated by Virgin Atlantic, flew without passengers from London Heathrow to Schiphol; Amsterdam with one of its four fuel tanks filled with plant based fuel. Nuts picked from Amazon rainforests have helped fuel the world’s first commercial airline flight partly powered by renewable energy. The bio fuel blend included babassu and coconut oils, both products used in cosmetics such as lip balm and saving cream.

 

Richard Branson CEO of Virgin Atlantic termed the demonstration flight as a major breakthrough for the airline industry and proof there are viable alternatives to traditional jet fuel. He also stated that,” The flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future”. The fuel that was used in the test flight contained 20%bio fuel and 80% conventional jet fuel. Branson also said that tests show it is also possible to fly with a mix containing 40%bio fuel.

 

Branson however said it is unlikely that the nut of the wild growing babassu palm will play key role in bio fuel development. Instead algae produced in places like sewage treatment farms are the most likely future source of renewable fuel for airline industry. Environmentalists however say the use of bio fuels is a distraction in the fight against climate change.

 

 

The writer Khondkar Abdus Saleque

Bio fuels, which are mainly produced from crops such as grain, vegetable oils and sugar, are seen by advocates as a way to cut emissions    of greenhouse gases and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. There has been concern, however, that an expansion in areas of crop grown for energy will help drive up food prices. And clearing land to produce the crops actually produces larger amounts of greenhouse gases.  Environmental lobby group, Friends of Earth says bio fuels are a distraction in the fight to cut carbon dioxide emissions. The related carbon savings will be negated by increased airline travel they feel. The other leading Environmental Group Greenpeace termed the test air flight as “high altitude green wash” .They feel that even producing organic oils could lead to massive greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

A report in February 8 edition of Science indicated that, Carbon dioxide emissions from new croplands carved into rainforests, savannas, wetlands or grasslands will easily surpass the overall amount of CO2 emissions reduced through use of bio fuels. 

 

Many scientists opine that second generation bio fuels, which can be made from products like municipal waste, will provide more substantial benefits without competing with food crops for land.

 

In view of the conflicting ideas and opinions about use of bio fuels and its impact on green house gas emission let us have a deep insight into bio fuels

 

Bio fuels can be broken down into two main categories – ethanol and bio diesel

 

Ethanol is really alcohol, and is typically made by using sugarcane waste, wheat or corn. It is mixed with petrol or diesel reducing the carbon emissions of the car. It is a very popular fuel in Brazil   where an estimated 4 million cars run on pure ethanol, and in US there are cars that can deal with up to 85% ethanol fuel.

 

Ethanol fuel is more energy efficient than some experts had realized and it is time to start developing this as an alternative to fossil fuels. Some critics may still argue that the push for ethanol is based on faulty science and mostly benefits the farm lobby but several reviews and comments published by many other experts argue otherwise. According to DR Alexandar Farrell of University of California, Berkley opined,” We find that ethanol can, if it is made correctly, contribute significantly to both energy and environmental goals. However, the current way of producing ethanol with corn probably only meets energy goals.”

 

Farrell and his colleagues reviewed at six studies used to argue for and against the development of ethanol as an energy source. They reached the conclusion that some of the studies used obsolete data or data whose quality could not be verified. They admitted that ethanol is not yet a significant source of fuel, but is blended with petrol. Environmentalists hope that it could be developed as a cleaner source of fuel than oil or gas.

 

Farrell feels, making ethanol using the current technology is expensive and contribute to pollution and greenhouse gases. The environmental cost comes entirely from making fertilizer, running the tractors over the farm and operating bio refinery. Better methods are now being investigated to use the woody parts of plants, using what is known as cellulosic technology to break down the tough fibers. Farrell said at the moment cellulose technology is just too expensive. If that changes, and the technology develops rapidly then cellulose technology may enter the commercial market within the next five years.

 

Bio diesel Fact Sheet:

Bio diesel is made from oil, almost any type. Animal fat, canola, palm and soybean oil are popular choices.

 

Bio diesel is a variety of ester based oxygenated fuels made from vegetable or animal fats. The concept of using vegetable oil dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel.

 

Diesel engines these days require a clean-burning, stable fuel that performs well under a variety of operating conditions. Bio diesel is the only alternative fuel that can be used directly in any existing, unmodified diesel engine. Because it has similar properties to petroleum diesel fuel, bio diesel can be blended in any ratio with petroleum diesel fuel. Many federal and state fleet vehicles in USA are already using bio diesel blends in their existing diesel engines.

 

The low emissions of bio diesel make it an ideal fuel for use in marine areas, national parks and forests, and heavily polluted cities. Bio diesel has many advantages as a transport fuel.

Advantages of Bio diesel:

USA is the pioneer of BIO fuel use. Its experience may be useful for others to take clue from.

* Bio diesel is the only alternative fuel in the US to complete EPA Tier I Health Effects Testing under section 211(b) of the Clean Air Act, which provide the most thorough inventory of environmental and human health effects attributes that current technology will allow.

  * Bio diesel is the only alternative fuel that runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. It can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored.

 * . Bio diesel can be used alone or mixed in any ratio with petroleum diesel fuel. The most common blend is a mix of 20% bio diesel with 80% petroleum diesel, or "B20."

 * The lifecycle production and use of bio diesel produces approximately 80% less carbon dioxide emissions, and almost 100% less sulphur dioxide. Combustion of bio diesel alone provides over a 90% reduction in total unburned hydrocarbons, and a 75-90% reduction in aromatic hydrocarbons. Bio diesel further provides significant reductions in particulates and carbon monoxide than petroleum diesel fuel. Bio diesel provides a slight increase or decrease in nitrogen oxides depending on engine family and testing procedures. Based on Ames Mutagen city tests, bio diesel provides a 90% reduction in cancer risks.

 * Bio diesel is 11% oxygen by weight and contains no sulphur. The use of bio diesel can extend the life of diesel engines because it is more lubricating than petroleum diesel fuel, while fuel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by bio diesel.

* Bio diesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 125°C compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 55°C.

 * Bio diesel can be made from domestically produced, renewable oilseed crops such as soybeans, canola, cotton seed and mustard seed.

  *   Bio diesel is a proven fuel with over 30 million successful US road miles, and over 20 years of use in Europe.

 * When burned in a diesel engine, bio diesel replaces the exhaust odor of petroleum diesel with the pleasant smell of Popcorn or French fries.

 * The Congressional Budget Office, and Department of Defense, US Department of Agriculture, and others have determined that bio diesel is the low cost alternative fuel option for fleets to meet requirements of the Energy Policy Act.

Let us now look into other forms of producing bio fuels

Algae in a vat may power the future: Scientists in Australia feel that green algae may in not so distant future produce stored energy in the form of hydrogen gas, fuelling hydrogen economy. Here in the Queensland University, Professor Ben Hankamer and colleagues have increased the sunlight capturing efficiency of algae that can pump out hydrogen. In successfully scaled up, this may complement or be an alternative to our present carbon based economy. The algae have evolved two kinds of photosynthesis, one of which produces hydrogen gas under low sulphur Condition. The researchers think if the hydrogen gas can be harvested from a bioreactor, a concentrated mass of algae in sealed vats it will pump out hydrogen whenever the sun shines.

A major problem is the algae   are inefficient at capturing sunlight, with 90% of the light falling on them is given off as heat or fluorescence. The researchers have used RNA interference to engineer a strain on algae to make the process more efficient. By silencing some of the genes responsible for producing light harvesting proteins they have partly achieved their objectives. The engineered algae only use the light they need rather than wasting it as fluorescence and heating a bio reactor this means the light the strain doesn’t need would pass through to other light harvesting algae deep inside the mass. And because the new strain has fewer light harvesting proteins, it is lighter green than natural one, which also helps light to penetrate deeper into the bio reactor. The engineered algae are more resistant to light damage than natural strains. Given the same amount of light, the algae would survive longer and reproduce more, thus possibly generating more hydrogen gas. An algal bioreactor would have obvious positives. Not only it would produce renewable energy but also would consume more carbon dioxide than they give off. Unlike other bio fuel systems, it would not take up valuable arable land, as the bio reactors can even be put in the desert areas. The organisms would not escape into the environment as they would remain sealed in bio reactors. The plan is to burn the algal waste using a process called pyrolysis, which sterilizes the algae and produces a form of stored carbon called agrichar.

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world. Our rural and urban poor people traditionally harvest; fire wood, vegetation, animal excreta and agricultural residues for domestic cooking.  These however proved to be counter productive as it contributed to undesirable deforestation.  Our forests cover only 9-10 % of total land, which should be at least 20% of the total land surface for ecological balance. The continued deforestation is causing severe environmental degradation. The high cost of petroleum products, low coverage of the electricity grid, gasification and increasing scarcity of traditional fuel woods due to deforestation created an energy deficit situation in rural Bangladesh. Environmental experts predicted massive deforestation if crisis is not being met from alternative source.

 

Bangladesh can not continue purchasing petroleum products at the soaring price and market these at the present subsidized price in domestic market for any longer. If the price is properly adjusted to world price it will go beyond the capacity of most of the middle class limited income group even not to speak of the lower middle class and poorer section. Gas and electricity coverage can not expand appreciably as both are in crisis now and need injection of huge capital. The prevailing environment does not encourage massive private sector investment. Hence, long term sustainable development in energy sector requires a gradual shifting towards renewable sources of energy. Country like Bangladesh, making people renewable way meeting energy demands, considerably Biogas technology is cheaper option. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) with continuous contribution to sustainable technology bridging the gap between energy demands and harnessing bio-energy with a renewable way.  Bio-gas generation from disposal waste of animal husbandry, agricultural residues,  human execrate, poultry dropping from a average house holds and making people more renewable to a environmentally friendly technology.  The gas generated from bio-gas plant can meet the fuel requirement of cooking without causing any environmental problem.

 

Fuel, Food and Chemical from Biomass:

Scientists of Imperial College London, Georgia Tech and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have teamed up to device a facility which may produce fuel, food and chemical from bio mass. This will make a range of fuels, foods, chemicals, animal feeds, materials, heat and power. It will use biomass, a collection of renewable plant matter and biological material such as trees, grasses and agricultural crops.

 

Dr Charlotte Williams of Imperial College Opined,” We are looking at a biomass where we use the entire plant and produce a range of different materials from it.” Her teammates wrote “Before we freeze in the dark, we must prepare to make transition to nonrenewable carbon resources to renewable bio resources.”

 

Professor Steven Koolin, Chief Scientist of BP in London wrote,” Credible studies show that with plausible technology developments, bio fuels could supply some 30% of global demand in an environmentally responsible manner without affecting food production

 

Bangladesh must try to learn lessons from developed world for bio fuel and specially bio diesel production. Bangladesh may try to acquire technology which may produce food, fuel and chemicals from biomass. We need fuel for economic growth but we need food for living. We can not let our agricultural land get squeezed for growing crops for generating bio fuels. We must strike some balance.