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Does biodiesel make sense?

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  • Nogueira, Luiz A.H.

Abstract

In several countries biodiesel blending programs have been implemented looking for reduction in fossil fuel dependence and environmental benefits, including climate change mitigation. The current global biodiesel production, from different fatty raw materials, reaches about 6 billion liters per year and represents 10% of whole biofuel production. Nevertheless, in many cases the actual advantages of biodiesel production and usage are not clearly evaluated. Essentially, the feasibility of biodiesel production can be determined by its efficiency in solar energy conversion, as indicated by agro-industrial productivity and energy balance parameters, which expresses a relative demand of natural resources (land and energy) to produce biofuel. Taking into account the Brazilian conditions, in this paper an assessment of biodiesel production is presented, comparing four different productive systems. According to this evaluation, soybean and castor are limitedly feasible, whereas tallow and palm oil represent more suitable alternatives. The selection of an efficient productive system is crucial for the rationality of biodiesel production.

Suggested Citation

  • Nogueira, Luiz A.H., 2011. "Does biodiesel make sense?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 3659-3666.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:36:y:2011:i:6:p:3659-3666
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2010.08.035
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    1. Yáñez Angarita, Edgar Eduardo & Silva Lora, Electo Eduardo & da Costa, Rosélis Ester & Torres, Ednildo Andrade, 2009. "The energy balance in the Palm Oil-Derived Methyl Ester (PME) life cycle for the cases in Brazil and Colombia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2905-2913.
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    1. Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2012. "Environmental sustainability assessment of palm biodiesel production in Thailand," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 306-314.
    2. Pereira, Marcio Giannini & Camacho, Cristiane Farias & Freitas, Marcos Aurélio Vasconcelos & Silva, Neilton Fidelis da, 2012. "The renewable energy market in Brazil: Current status and potential," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3786-3802.
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    4. Alexandre Bevilacqua Leoneti & Valquiria Aragão-Leoneti & Simone Vasconcelos Ribeiro Galina & Geciane Silveira Porto, 2017. "The methylic versus the ethylic route: considerations about the sustainability of Brazilian biodiesel production," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 637-651, April.
    5. Singh, Bhaskar & Guldhe, Abhishek & Rawat, Ismail & Bux, Faizal, 2014. "Towards a sustainable approach for development of biodiesel from plant and microalgae," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 216-245.
    6. Schneider, T. & Graeff-Hönninger, S. & French, W.T. & Hernandez, R. & Merkt, N. & Claupein, W. & Hetrick, M. & Pham, P., 2013. "Lipid and carotenoid production by oleaginous red yeast Rhodotorula glutinis cultivated on brewery effluents," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 34-43.
    7. Baglivi, Antonella & Fiorese, Giulia & Guariso, Giorgio & Uggè, Clara, 2015. "Valuing crop diversity in biodiesel production plans," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 2351-2362.
    8. Aur lio Lamare Soares Murta & Marcos Vasconcelos de Freitas, 2018. "CO2 Emissions Avoided Through the use of Biodiesel in the Brazilian Road System," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 8(2), pages 59-68.
    9. Alves, Magno José & Nascimento, Suellen Mendonça & Pereira, Iara Gomes & Martins, Maria Inês & Cardoso, Vicelma Luiz & Reis, Miria, 2013. "Biodiesel purification using micro and ultrafiltration membranes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 15-20.
    10. Tesfa, B. & Mishra, R. & Zhang, C. & Gu, F. & Ball, A.D., 2013. "Combustion and performance characteristics of CI (compression ignition) engine running with biodiesel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 101-115.
    11. Holmatov, B. & Hoekstra, A.Y. & Krol, M.S., 2019. "Land, water and carbon footprints of circular bioenergy production systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 224-235.
    12. de Souza, Lorena Mendes & Mendes, Pietro A.S. & Aranda, Donato A.G., 2020. "Oleaginous feedstocks for hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) biojet production in southeastern Brazil: A multi-criteria decision analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1339-1351.
    13. Rafael Estevez & Laura Aguado-Deblas & Francisco J. López-Tenllado & Carlos Luna & Juan Calero & Antonio A. Romero & Felipa M. Bautista & Diego Luna, 2022. "Biodiesel Is Dead: Long Life to Advanced Biofuels—A Comprehensive Critical Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-39, April.
    14. Flórez-Orrego, Daniel & da Silva, Julio A.M. & Velásquez, Héctor & de Oliveira, Silvio, 2015. "Renewable and non-renewable exergy costs and CO2 emissions in the production of fuels for Brazilian transportation sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 18-36.
    15. Souza, Simone Pereira & Seabra, Joaquim E.A., 2013. "Environmental benefits of the integrated production of ethanol and biodiesel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 5-12.
    16. Gholami, Ali & Hajinezhad, Ahmad & Pourfayaz, Fathollah & Ahmadi, Mohammad Hossein, 2018. "The effect of hydrodynamic and ultrasonic cavitation on biodiesel production: An exergy analysis approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 478-489.
    17. Dedinec, Aleksandar & Markovska, Natasa & Taseska, Verica & Duic, Neven & Kanevce, Gligor, 2013. "Assessment of climate change mitigation potential of the Macedonian transport sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 177-187.
    18. Rafael Henrique Mainardes Ferreira & Claudia Tania Picinin, 2018. "Bibliometric analysis for characterization of oil production in Brazilian territory," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 1945-1974, September.

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