Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of short chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters, made by Transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. Biodiesel is distinguished from the straight vegetable oil (SVO) (sometimes referred to as "waste vegetable oil", "WVO", "used vegetable oil", "UVO", "pure plant oil", "PPO") used (alone, or blended) as fuels in some converted diesel vehicles. "Biodiesel" is standardized as the mono-alkyl ester.
Biodiesel is a biofuel produced from various feedstocks including vegetable oils (such as oilseed, rapeseed and soya bean), animal fats or algae. Biodiesel can be blended with diesel for use in diesel engine vehicles. Biofuel – The term biofuel applies to any solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel produced from organic (once-living) matter. The word biofuel covers a wide range of products, some of which are commercially available today, and some of which are still in research and development. Biodiesel is a fuel made from plant oils that can be used in a conventional diesel engine.
SWOT Analysis: Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threat
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| SWOT Analysis of Biodiesel |
Strengths of Biodiesel
· Production of biodiesel contributes to the independence of energy supply: 98% of the energy used in the transport sector comes from fossil fuels. Oil reserves are estimated to be limited to 50 years. Biodiesel is contributing to the diversification of sources and technologies benefiting to the economy.· Mitigating climate change: Biodiesel reduces GHG emissions (30-71%). GHG emissions are leading to irreversible damages to the ecosphere affecting the environment, economic development, food security, and livelihood.· Biodiesel reduces emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) by approximately 50% and by 78% on a net lifecycle basis because the carbon in biodiesel emissions is recycled from carbon that was in the atmosphere, rather than the carbon introduced from petroleum that was sequestered in the earth's crust.· Biodiesel contains fewer aromatic hydrocarbons: benzofluoranthene: 56% reduction; Benzopyrenes: 71% reduction.· Biodiesel can reduce by as much as 20% the direct (tailpipe) emission of particulates, small particles of solid combustion products, on vehicles with particulate filters, compared with low-sulfur (<50 ppm) diesel.· Particulate emissions are reduced by around 50%, compared with fossil-sourced diesel.· Biodiesel has a higher cetane rating than petro-diesel, which can improve performance and clean up emissions compared to crude petro-diesel (with cetane lower than 40).· Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic - the U.S. Department of Energy confirms that biodiesel is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as quickly as sugar. The flash point of biodiesel (>150° C) is significantly higher than that of petroleum diesel (64° C) or gasoline (-45° C).· Pure biodiesel (BlOO) can be used in any petroleum diesel engine, though it is more commonly used in lower concentrations.
o Some areas have mandated ultra-low sulfur petro-diesel, which reduces the natural viscosity and lubricity of the fuel due to the removal of sulfur and certain other materials.
o Additives are required to make ULSD properly flow in engines, making biodiesel one popular alternative. Ranges as low as 2% (B2) have been shown to restore lubricity.
o Many municipalities have started using 5% biodiesel (B5) in snow-removal equipment and other systems.
Biodiesel contributes to rural development: Farmers would find new market opportunities thus participating in the objectives of increasing GDP, employment, social welfare, and diversification of the rural economy.
Weakness of Biodiesel
· There is ongoing research into finding more suitable crops and improving oil yield, this implies it is still a long way for biodiesels to rule the fuel world.· Using the current yields, vast amounts of land and fresh water would be needed to produce enough oil to completely replace fossil fuel usage.· There is a need for a biomaterial which is abundant in nature, which is preferably nonedible- or a product of a plant wherein some part of it is edible (like fruit, leaves) and some of it is non-edible (stem, seeds), so that food cycle is not disturbed.· Biodiesel should not contain any esters when mixed with diesel for biodiesel formulation to prevent gelling at low temperatures.· Biodiesel may contain small but problematic quantities of water. Although it is hydrophobic (immiscible with water molecules), it is said to be, at the same time, hygroscopic to the point of attracting water molecules from atmospheric moisture; in addition, there may be water that is residual to processing or resulting from storage tank condensation. The presence of water is a problem because it reduces the heat of combustion of the bulk fuel. This means more smoke, difficulty in starting, less power.· Water causes corrosion of vital fuel system components: fuel pumps, injector pumps, fuel lines, etc.· Water freezes to form ice crystals near 00C (32° F). These crystals provide sites for nucleation and accelerate the gelling of the residual fuel. Water accelerates the growth of microbe colonies, which can plug up a fuel system.· An inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers for maximum production of feedstock may lead to negative effects on the environment (water).· Price of vegetable oil may be rising because of higher demand and increase prices of Biodiesel production.· The energy content of Biodiesel is lower than the one of Diesel (37-38 MJ/kg instead of 42MJ/KG).· Biodiesel emits more NOx emissions compared to diesel fuel.
Opportunities available with Biodiesel in India
· India meets just 23% of petrol demand through domestic production while the rest is met from imported crude. Keeping this in view, India’s energy security remains vulnerable until alternative fuels to substitute/supplement petro-based fuels are developed indigenously.
· India believes that Biofuels can increasingly satisfy India’s growing energy needs in an environmentally benign and cost-effective manner; reducing dependence on import of fossil fuels and thereby providing a higher degree of National Energy Security.
· Indian approach to biofuels is different to the current international approaches which could lead to conflict with food security. It is based solely on non-food feedstocks to be raised on degraded or wastelands that are not suited to agriculture, thus avoiding a possible conflict of fuel vs. food security.
· The Indian Biodiesel Policy:
o Facilitates and bring about optimal development and utilization of indigenous biomass feedstocks for production of biofuels.
o Envisages development of the next generation of more efficient biofuel conversion technologies based on new feedstocks.
o Set out the Vision, medium-term Goals, strategy and approach to biofuel development.
o Proposes a framework of technological, financial and institutional interventions and enabling mechanisms.
· Five hundred government buses in Mysore are proposed to be run on biodiesel as per proposals cleared by Karnataka Cabinet. This is a part of the central government-sponsored Sustainable Urban Transport project. The Centre would fund Rs 17.5 crores of the more than Rs 19 crores project for Mysore. Under the initiative, an intelligent transport system project would be also be taken up in Mysore involving 500 buses, which would give information in advance to commuters like departure and arrival times and the next bus stops. The buses are proposed to be run on biodiesel under the “Innovative Environmental System” initiative. Under these initiatives to be taken up over an 18-month period, 105 bus stops and six bus terminals (45 platforms) would be covered in Mysore.
· The Indian Railways has put forward plans to set up four biodiesel plants costing about Rs 1.2 billion. Two of these plants will be built at Raipur and Chennai during the next two years, the other two units will be built later. Each plant is expected to cost Rs300 million and will produce up to 30 tonnes of biodiesel a day. The plants will use waste oil, fatty acid and non-edible vegetable oil as a feedstock and the biodiesel will be blended with the HSD oil for running the trains. The use of biodiesel is expected to ear the railways Rs20 million a year in carbon credits. The Railways currently consumes 2.2 billion litres of diesel a year. Indian Railway Organisation for Alternative Fuels has been formed to take up projects to introduce alternative fuels such as CNG and biodiesel.
· A research project in India has fuelled a Chevrolet diesel Tavera on a 20 percent biodiesel blend made from marine microalgae. The project was part of the New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) with researchers from the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The Central Salt Marine and Chemical Research Institute found the microalgae growing naturally on the western coast. The B-20 biodiesel to operate the diesel Tavera was prepared from these microalgae mats and the test drive recorded a mileage of 12.4 km better than the 10-11 km recorded by diesel-run SUV’s. The aim is now to run the test vehicle on B-100 (neat biodiesel) marine microalgae biodiesel and evaluate economic viability.
· Pune-based My Eco Energy is entering the bio-diesel market and planning to invest Rs. 550 crore for the acquisition, upgrading the facilities and setting up of infrastructure. The company is planning to increase the capacity to 10 lakh litres of bio-diesel per day through their own and contract manufacturing.
· Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s biggest oil marketing company, is looking to acquire 50,000 hectares of wasteland in Uttar Pradesh for plantation of non-edible oilseeds, such as jatropha and karanjia, that are used for biodiesel production. The company has already acquired 30,000 hectares in Chhattisgarh and another 2,000 hectares in Madhya Pradesh.
Threats to Biodiesel
· Over publicity.
· Abundance of misleading information.
· Malpractice in input materials.
· Costly input materials.
· Low (no) support price for seed.
· No sustainable Procurement Mechanism available in the Market.
· Requirement of seed in large quantity even to fulfill the demand of 5% blending with diesel.
· Government strategies towards Biodiesel project are not implemented properly.
References:
[2]. Bharat Vasandani, “India’s Bio-diesel Policy and current turmoil”, Biofuels, Energetica India, Jan-Feb ’12[3]. Chandrasekhar Bhaskaran Nair, Pillarisetti Venkata Subbarao, Phanikumar Pullela, Gopalkrishna Mangalore Kin, “A biofuel composition, process of preparation and a method of fueling thereof”, WO2009004652A1, Jun’07.
