Dear Abdul Majeed Khan,
Unfortunately, these resources are not economically feasible yet.
We have gasified municipal solid waste to produce synthesis gas. This synthesis gas is used as fuel in diesel dual fuel systems so that this system can reduce petrodiesel consumption by 25%.
These are good options but at present it is not possible to replace petrodiesel with biodiesel completely. However, with the advancement in technology there is a possibility to increase the consumption of biodiesel. There is a need of more research in the field of biofuels.Your project is one of them. All the best for your project.
Both the sources (Biowaste and Solar) could be used as alternatives for transport sector by replacing petrodiesel. But however, the system design and its incorporation with the presently available automobiles is different. Research is continuing in the field Engine modification for the use of biodiesel (Blend with Diesel in Appropriate levels B10 B20 etc. or Pure Biodiesel) replacing petrodiesel. Also, these waste used for generating Biogas, which can also be used as fuel in vehicles (IIT Delhi, India implemented A Car with Biogas as Fuel). Another process of using this biogas as a fuel to fuel cells which intern generate the electric power required for a vehicle.
Coming to Solar, the concept of using solar energy in vehicles is similar to the harvesting of solar energy for domestic sector, but huge research work is going on energy management strategies, storage possibilities, the vehicle to grid, control techniques, fast charging networks etc.
However, both the areas need to be studied for further developments in reliability and fastness, better energy conversion, efficient control etc.
The most area to be concentrated in terms of biodiesel would be technology upgradations. Working on such project would be really a practical and challenging task, hope you will be a part of it soon. All the very best for your research sir.
I could not give you much information here, hoping this information would be helpful.
we are on the right track: more solar, more beneficial. In fact biodiesel is solar and almost all forms of energy are solar. Some are excluding nuclear because of not being, and some for not being acceptable to handle impacts. Petroleum did substitute almost completely grown resources on demand basis, the same works for promoting biodiesel to substitute as much petroleum components as possible. Global substitution would require another planet to grow algae and oil plant
Since the early 1990s, I advocated in my applied chemistry lectures the necessity of more applied research in energy alternatives & part of my interest reached Research Gate in the form of a question long time ago.
The scientific knowledge exists in genetically modifying yeast. There is a lot of cellulosic waste & work is needed to be done on that. What is needed is to select an organism which naturally digests cellulose, research to identify the key enzymes which facilitate the process and to take out the genes & insert them into yeast. Such engineered yeast could readily be put into an industrial process and scaled up for biofuel production. Add to this, the emphasis upon utilizing more used cooking oils for the production of biodiesel.
Applied research will be successful if it is supported financially by policy designers. Governments have to intervene in providing money & in directing the municipalities and the public for waste management.
When we see reduced waste dumps, then we can claim that we are really moving ahead.
Looking at the question from two Windows, I believe that the use of the aforementioned system depends on the climatic conditions (availability of solar energy), waste availability and technology for processing. From another perspective, developing nations may not have enough waste to power biodiesel production. Developed economies can make it sustainable due to advanced technology for processing. In all I agree that having dedicated resources for biodiesel production is the best option. If we look at the cost benefit analysis, it is not viable for us to use waste as the main source of biodiesel production. Alternative is to blend biodiesel produces with petrol diesel.
I am not thinking in terms of complete replacement of petrodiesel by biodiesel. Instead, I favour a healthy co-existence and competition between the two. Some countries are endowed with petrodiesel while others are not. For those countries endowed with petrodiesel, they are aware that it is finite and sole dependence on the finite resource portends danger as they would sooner or later run out of their resource. Hence, they have no choice than to indulge in the search for an alternative which would reduce pressure on their finite resource and prolong the life span. They are happier! For those countries who are not endowed with petrodiesel, their fate has always been hanging on importation with the ever-changing uncertainties and ever increasing need. Hence, they would have no choice than to dig deep into the alternative source which is biodiesel. Also, the major obstacles to biodiesel at present are mainly the feedstock and novel heterogeneous catalysis to drive the industry. Most organized countries already have effective mechanism for harnessing waste oil sources and municipal wastes which could be effectively applied for this purpose to reduce cost of production. The main clog to me is excellent heterogeneous catalysis that would be industrially relevant for continuous production processes. Even then, many have been developed and applied while others are yet to find industrial application. So, I strongly believe biodiesel has a good future as a support for petrodiese at least to keep the pump price of petrodiesel in check and give hope to countries not naturally endowed with petrodiesel. We shall remain in the business of a cleaner tomorrow!
not the catalyst itself is the core of the problem, but the scale to economy with these catalysts. waste to commodity units will not approach the level of 150-160 kt/y nameplate capacities in the near future. this is why efficient 2nd generation units should be selected (such as our Co-Sol)
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