This can be accomplished in one of two ways: high temperature deconstruction or low temperature deconstruction. First, the tough rigid structure of the plant cell wall-which includes the biological molecules cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin bound tightly together-must be broken down. Producing advanced biofuels (e.g., cellulosic ethanol and renewable hydrocarbon fuels) typically involves a multistep process. BIOFUEL CONVERSION PROCESSES Deconstruction Learn more about Renewable Hydrocarbon Fuels. Biomass-based renewable hydrocarbon fuels are nearly identical to the petroleum-based fuels they are designed to replace-so they're compatible with today's engines, pumps, and other infrastructure. Hydrocarbons can also be produced from biomass sources through a variety of biological and thermochemical processes. Petroleum fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, contain a complex mixture of hydrocarbons (molecules of hydrogen and carbon), which are burned to produce energy. Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage, including B100 (pure biodiesel) and, the most common blend, B20 (a blend containing 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel). Like petroleum-derived diesel, biodiesel is used to fuel compression-ignition (diesel) engines.
Biodiesel is nontoxic and biodegradable and is produced by combining alcohol with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking grease. During fermentation, microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and yeast) metabolize plant sugars and produce ethanol.īiodiesel is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel. The common method for converting biomass into ethanol is called fermentation. Most ethanol is made from plant starches and sugars-particularly corn starch in the United States-but scientists are continuing to develop technologies that would allow for the use of cellulose and hemicellulose, the non-edible fibrous material that constitutes the bulk of plant matter. Roughly 97% of gasoline in the United States contains some ethanol. Some vehicles, called flexible fuel vehicles, are designed to run on E85 (a gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51%–83% ethanol, depending on geography and season), an alternative fuel with much higher ethanol content than regular gasoline.
The most common blend of ethanol is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) and is approved for use in most conventional gasoline-powered vehicles up to E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline). ETHANOLĮthanol (CH3CH2OH) is a renewable fuel that can be made from various plant materials, collectively known as “ biomass.” Ethanol is an alcohol used as a blending agent with gasoline to increase octane and cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. Watch the Energy 101 Video: Biofuels to learn more. BETO is focused on the production of hydrocarbon biofuels-also known as “drop-in” fuels-which can serve as petroleum substitutes in existing refineries, tanks, pipelines, pumps, vehicles, and smaller engines. The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is collaborating with industry to develop next-generation biofuels made from wastes, cellulosic biomass, and algae-based resources.
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