From biomass to biofuel

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could turn trash into biofuel?

According to a report in Alternative Energy, Global Change Biology, “a journal that promotes understanding of the interface between all aspects of current environmental change and biological systems”, if we replaced gasoline, which is a dirty, fossil fuel, with biofuel made out of garbage, we could reduce carbon emissions on a global level by 80%. Talk about a double whammy: get rid of trash and produce fuel at the same time.

One of the study’s authors, Professor Hugh Tan of the National University of Singapore said that the results arrived at “suggest that fuel from processed waste biomass, such as paper and cardboard, is a promising clean energy solution. If developed fully this biofuel could simultaneously meet part of the world’s energy needs, while also combating carbon emissions and fossil fuel dependency.”

Landfill waste could be the source of 82.93 billion liters of cellulosic ethanol, said the research team. And Europe, it seems, will soon be moving on biomass biofuel. At least the trucks on the old continent seem headed that way.

Transport Topics Online says Volvo “will begin field tests in Europe next year of heavy trucks powered by bioDME, a biomass fuel the company said has long-term potential to replace 50% of diesel now used in European trucking.”

bioDME is created out of a by-product of the pulp and paper industry. It has the potential to reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 95% for a combination of high energy efficiency and reduced emissions. Volvo said that another advantage of using biomass is that it is low on the emission of particulates and nitrogen oxides, “permitting the use of a less complex system for aftertreatment of exhaust gases”.

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