VEGETABLE OIL AND BIOFUELS

• Vegetable oil


  A type of edible oil derived from various plant sources, typically liquid at room temperature
• Biofuels


  Renewable fuels derived from organic materials, such as plants, algae, or animal waste
• Common types of biofuels

  • Biodiesel
  • Ethanol
  • Biogas
• Carl Wilhelm Scheele demonstrated that fats were derived from glycerol


  1780
• Rudolf Diesel invented the compression ignition engine and tested vegetable oils as early fuels


  Late 1800s
• Early methods of extracting vegetable oils

  1. Heating oily plant products until oil exuded

  2. Using a mortar and pestle, millstones, or feet to grind and press

  3. Introducing edge runners to grind and a winch or screw to operate a lever press

  4. Stamper press invented in Holland in the 1600s

  5. Roll mill invented by John Smeaton in 1750

  6. Hydraulic press invented by Joseph Bramah in England

  7. First improved screw press invented by V. D. Anderson in the United States in 1876
• Deiss of England obtained the first patent for extraction of oil using solvents, following experiments by Jesse Fisher in 1843


  1856
• Henry Ford originally designed the Model T to run on ethanol
• During World War II, the demand for biofuel increased once again as fossil fuels became less abundant
• Fossil fuels have been used since ancient times in various forms on a small scale, but were commercialized and available on a large scale in the mid 1800s
• After 1900, wood fuels were largely replaced by fossil fuels, which helped reduce unsustainable use of timber resources
• Energy security


  Vegetable oils and biofuels play a vital role in lessening reliance on finite fossil fuels, diversifying the energy mix and harnessing renewable resources

  
• Environmental sustainability


  Adoption of vegetable oils and biofuels contributes to curbing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change, as they are carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative alternatives to fossil fuels
• Economic development


  Production and utilization of vegetable oils and biofuels stimulate economic growth by fostering new markets, job opportunities, and innovation within the bioenergy sector
• Raw materials for biofuels

  • Edible plant oils
  • Non-edible plant oils
  • Used edible oils
  • Microalgae
  • Animal fats

  
• Biodiesel


  Produced from the fatty acids found in vegetable oils using a process called transesterification, which involves using methanol to create a catalytic reaction
• Bioethanol

  Biologically produced biofuel, mainly produced in Brazil and the U.S.A.

  
• Biogas


  Produced during the anaerobic digestion of biomass or during the gasification of wood using processes such as pyrolysis

  
• Biobutanol

  Produced in much the same way as bioethanol, through the fermentation of starch
• Biohydrogen

  Can be produced using a number of processes such as pyrolysis, gasification or biological fermentation
• Processing techniques for vegetable oils

  • Hydrogenation
  • Solvent extraction
  • Cold pressing
  • Refining
  • Deodorization

  
• Processing techniques for biofuels

  • Fermentation
  • Transesterification
  • Pyrolysis
  • Hydrothermal liquefaction

  
• Industrial uses of vegetable oils

  • Food processing
  • Cosmetics
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Biofuels
  • Industrial lubricants
  • Paints and coatings
• Industrial uses of biofuels

  • Transportation
  • Electricity generation
  • Heat and steam production
  • Chemical production
  • Agriculture
• Land use change


  Cultivation of crops for vegetable oil production often leads to deforestation and habitat destruction
• Water usage


  Intensive agriculture for vegetable oil crops can contribute to water scarcity and pollution
• Pesticide and fertilizer use

  Use of pesticides and fertilizers in vegetable oil production can have adverse effects on soil health, biodiversity, and water resources
• Greenhouse gas emissions


  While vegetable oils generally produce lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels when burned, the overall carbon footprint of their production varies depending on factors such as land use change, transportation, and processing methods
• Waste generation

  The processing of vegetable oils can generate waste streams such as palm oil mill effluent

  
• Transesterification


  A process that converts triglycerides in vegetable oil into biodiesel (FAME) and glycerin using an alcohol and a catalyst

  
• Direct esterification


  An alternative process that uses a strong acid catalyst to directly convert fatty acids in the oil to biodiesel, but is less common and less efficient than transesterification
• Pyrolysis


  A process that thermally decomposes the vegetable oil in the absence of oxygen, producing a bio-oil that can be further refined into fuels like gasoline or diesel

  
• Vegetable oil biofuels offer a clean alternative to diesel, but face a cost hurdle due to production and competition with food, which can make them pricier

  
• Government support and technological advancements could bridge the cost gap, making vegetable oil biofuels a more economically attractive option in the long term