14 DAY TRIAL // In a recent paper in the journal Chemical Engineering Matters, a team of scientists working with the University of Porto in Portugal details the development of a new method to obtain biofuels from waste cooking oils, animal fats, and other fatty wastes resulting from various industrial processes.
In their paper, the researchers explain that, for the time being, the biofuels industry is subject to quite a lot of criticism on account of its having a negative impact on water sources and on natural ecosystems.
More precisely, it is often said that biofuels production competes with the food industry for land and fosters deforestation, and that the wastewater it coughs out affects the environment.
Given the fact that, between 2001 and 2011, the global production of biofuels upped by an impressive 600%, it might not be such a bad idea to come up with ways to green up this industry.
More so, seeing how biofuels currently account for 3% of the global use of road transport fuel, and are about to become even more popular in the years to come.
To this end, the University of Porto has taken it upon itself to develop a more environmentally friendly process for the production of biofuels from various sources.
The scientists say that, presently, quite a lot of water goes into removing impurities from biofuels. They further detail that, according to their investigations into the matter at hand, biofuel production has the potential to become a water-free process.
More precisely, they claim that, instead of making use of water, impurities can be removed from biofuels with the help of catalysts that pre-treat them and resins that absorb them. One other option for the removal of impurities is represented by ceramic membranes.
Employing this new method, the University of Porto scientists have until managed to obtain biofuels of a good quality both from virgin vegetable oil, and from waste oils used for frying.
They argue that, if implemented on a large scale, their water-free process for the production of said fuels has high chances to yield major economic and environmental benefits, especially when compared to the water-intensive methods currently in use.
“Current production processes do not always deliver the full potential of biofuels to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and there are continuing challenges including economic and environmental,” Dr David Brown with the Institution of Chemical Engineers said in a statement.
“But demand for biofuels is clearly increasing and advancement in chemical engineering processes, such as the use of heterogeneous catalysis and water-free methods using membranes, are very welcome to consolidate biofuels as a globally accepted and sustainable source of renewable energy,” he added.