Biofuels - Biodiesel

As mentioned in our previous article, renewable energy sources (R.E.S.) have been dynamically entering the game of power generation. This time, we will deal with the production of energy from biomass in order to create biofuels. But what do we mean by biofuel? According to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuel produced from biomass, according to Directive 2009/28 / EC, and in particular Law 3468/2006, biofuels are also considered the following fuels (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017):

• Biodiesel is diesel produced from vegetable or animal oils and fats and has the same quality as petroleum diesel

• Bioethanol, is ethanol produced from Biomass or from a biodegradable fraction of waste

• Biogas is the fuel gas produced from Biomass or a biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste, which can be cleaned and upgraded to natural gas

• Biomethanol is methanol produced from biomass. 

Biodiesel, as mentioned above, is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, various energy crops, alcohols, but also a variety of recycled oils. Its main use is as a diesel fuel because of its chemical composition similar to that of mineral oil, ie crude oil from refining (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017).

Figure 1. Biodiesel cycle (INFORSE, 2006)

The combustion of biodiesel on vehicle's engines is a substitute for transport petroleum, due to its positive effects on engines and hence on the atmosphere. It is considered to be the cleanest fuel after the gas, due to the reduced pollutants released during its combustion. It is used as a blend in transport petroleum, with absolute safety for the engine (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017).

The blending ratio of biodiesel and oil is growing. Mixing started at the end of 2005 with 2.5% volume of biodiesel, increased to 4.5% and finally, reached 6.5% in early 2010. After seven years, in early 2013, the fuel B7, which is diesel-powered, made up of 7% of biodiesel, is also acquired in Greece. B7 is available from each pump at each gas station, within the Greek territory. Mixing is done either by recycling companies or by companies importing transport petroleum, prior to being placed on the wholesale domestic market. The vendors’ obligation to indicate the blending ratio in diesel is, only, present when this percentage exceeds 7% on the basis of the environmental specifications for vehicles powered by diesel engines for their operation (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017).

However, why biodiesel consumption is not widespread in Greece? The size of the required cultivated land is not the only explanation for the reason that biodiesel does not spread more rapidly on the market. Biodiesel is still much more expensive than oil, even when it is produced from the least available recycled fats and oils.

Of the thirteen global regions of Greece, seven of these are energy cultivated for the production of biodiesel from sunflower, rapeseed and soybean. These areas are the following (REPORT UNDER ARTICLE 19 (2) OF DIRECTIVE 2009/28 / EC, YPEKA, 2012):

1.  Thessaly 
2.  Continent
3. Western Macedonia 
4.  Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
5. Central Macedonia 
6.  Mainland Greece & Euboea
7. Western Greece

In recent years in Greece, biodiesel is mixed in a small percentage in all the quantities of oil currently circulating. The required annual quantities come primarily from the Greek energy crops and raw materials, which are absorbed as a whole and converted to biodiesel at the processing plants operating in the country. Additional quantities are produced either from imported raw materials in domestic units or imported as final product from other Member States (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017).

The benefits of introducing biofuels in the transport sector vary. The most important can be considered as follows (Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2017):

• Improving air quality in urban areas, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and , carbon  dioxide,

• Decrease in oil dependence, energy importation and reduction in extrinsic energy sources,

• Creating new opportunities for sustainable rural development, strengthening regional development and re-energizing the rural economy,

• Creation of manufacturing and industrial units, new jobs and investment opportunities in the field of biofuel production,

• Increase of the insertion rate of Greek added value into the produced product, foreign exchange benefit and improvement of the export balance, and

• Contribute to achieving the goals of energy saving, diversification of energy resources and security of fuel supply.

In a nutshell, we can say that biofuels are a rising energy source, under the requirement that its price is going to be reduced considerably. This will make it accessible and slowly replace the diesel. However, in order to achieve this, a series of actions must be taken so that the production of biodiesel starts to recover, such as to intensify the energy crops that have already begun in Greece (without compromise any arable land used in food production). All that is certain is that its development will increase.

 REFERENCES 

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Greece) (2017), biofuels. Accessed 12/10/17 from: http://www.ypeka.gr/Default.aspx?tabid=292 (in Greek)

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Greece) (2012), Directive 2009/28/EC. Accessed 30/10/17 from: http://www.ypeka.gr/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=CoDzesiKRnA%3d&tabid=292&language=el-GR (in Greek)

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Greece) (2017), benefits from the imports of biofuels in the transport sector. Accessed 30/10/17 from: http://www.ypeka.gr/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=j%2fiE9lwY4Rk%3d&tabid=292 (in Greek)

INFORSE - International Network for Sustainable Energy, (2006). Accessed 30/10/17 from: http://www.inforse.org/europe/dieret/altfuels/biodiesel.htm