Biofuels in Perspective

Water
CO 2
Figure 7.1 Closed CO 2 loop for plant oil fuels.
Source: Elsbett AG.
Plant Oil Biofuel: Rationale, Production and Application 121
Plant Oil
O 2
Oil Cake
Manure
The world’s fossil energy demand is currently met by a few fuel and gas exporters.
Germany, for instance, imports 40 % of its gas from Russia, for Hungary this figure is 85 %
(Follath, 2006). This entails political, military, and strategic risks. Current politics already
demonstrate how far some mineral oil exporting nations use their resources for political
power play.
Another major market driver for plant oil fuels are the related emission benefits. According
to the Kyoto Protocol, the greenhouse effect has the deepest pollution impact on
our environment. In this Protocol, more than 150 countries have committed themselves to
increase their biofuel quota in order to reduce CO 2 emissions.
As displayed by Figure 7.1, plant oil fuel is part of a ‘closed energy loop’: oil fruits
absorb as much CO 2 as are later emitted by the plant oil fuel. At the same time, one ton of
plant oil roughly contains the same amount of energy as one ton of diesel fuel, but using
plant oil avoids around 2.8 tons of CO 2 emissions. This opens new opportunities for trading
emission certificates for countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol. In some parts of
the world, e.g. in California, plant oil could also open markets where restrictive directives
keep diesel fuel away from many applications.
Some desirable characteristics of plant oil fuels are:
� high calorific value: high energy density and high energy efficiency,
� lower soot emissions than diesel fuel, when burned,
� neither harmful nor toxic to humans, animals, soil or water,
� neither easily flammable nor explosive, and does not release toxic gases,
� easy to store, transport and handle,
� natural, recyclable form of energy that does not have to be chemically altered,
� no sulphur contained: it does not cause acid rain when used.
Matthew Simmons, former White House energy advisor, expects crude oil barrel prices
to be between USD 200 and 250 for the ‘next years’ (Follath 2006). Such tendencies