In recent years, production and consumption of biofuels has become controversial, mainly due to the competitive use of natural resources for food/feed and fuel production. Second generation biofuels (with cellulosic ethanol being on top of developments nowadays) have a great potential to provide an economically feasible solution. However, high processing costs related to breaking down cellulosi...

The Indian Aviation Sector has been predicted to become the world’s third largest carrier by 2020. It is expected to carry 460 million passengers per annum shortly. A sector of such magnitude need to be environment friendly. The International Air Transport Association has declared to cut its carbon emissions to 50% by 2050. The National Biofuels Policy has also targeted to blend 20% biofuels to...

However, aviation biofuels are not just a lobbying gimmick. Oil and biotech companies, airlines and aircraft manufacturers, government agencies (particularly in the US) and venture capitalists are investing large sums into research and development of biofuels for aircraft. Recent test flights have shown that biofuel use in aviation is technically possible. Two types of aviation biofuels are in ...

The depletion of world petroleum reserves and the increased concern on climate change has stimulated the recent interest in biofuels. The most common biofuels are based on energy crops and their products, i.e. vegetable oil for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) biodiesel [1] and sugars/starch for bioethanol. However these first generation biofuels and associated production technologies face sever...