Second-generation biofuels
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The term "second-generation" biofuel has been used to designate multiple meanings:
- The customary usage of the term designates a biofuel obtained from a feedstock that cannot be used except through some novel, intermediate process. An example of this is cellulosic ethanol, the production of ethanol from woody materials for which the long chains of cellulose must be broken down before conversion to ethanol. Another important example are BTL-fuels (biomass-to-liquids) that are produced from different types of biomass by gasification or putrefaction followed by catalytic synthesis of either ethanol of liquid hydrocarbons (Source: Quo Vadis Biofuels). (The "first generation" of biofuels, in this sense, are therefore those made more readily and traditionally, such as ethanol -- ethyl alcohol -- distilled from grains, sugarcane, potatoes and fruit, in which the shorter starch molecules are more directly converted to ethanol through fermentation.)
- "Second generation biofuel technologies are able to manufacture biofuels from inedible biomass and could hence prevent conversion of food into fuel." [1]
- Because of the difficulty in making new technologies, such as producing ethanol from grasses, technologically and economically feasible, the term "second generation" biofuels has by extension also come to be used for biofuel technologies that are sufficiently advanced or experimental in nature as of the present.
- This definition was used by Galp Energia, a Portuguese oil and natural gas company [2]
News
2009
- DOE and USDA Award $24 Million in Biomass Grants, 18 November 2009 by EERE News: "DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on November 12 more than $24 million in grants for the research and development (R&D) of biofuels, bioenergy, and high-value biobased products. The grants will support a dozen projects aimed at increasing the availability of biofuels and other products produced from biomass."
- "Six projects involve R&D in biomass conversion technologies, including...develop[ing] a yeast fermentation organism that can cost-effectively convert cellulosic-derived sugars into isobutanol, a second-generation biofuel that balances high octane content and low vapor pressure".
- "Three grants will support biomass feedstock development" including "develop[ing] a form of switchgrass with new traits that eliminate the need for both expensive pretreatment equipment and enzymes".[3]
- Biofuel-Run Limousines to Deliver Leaders at UN Climate Summit, 29 June 2009 by Bloomberg News: "World leaders attending the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen will arrive in limousines powered by plant waste, the first public use of second- generation biofuels, according to organizers."
- "The Danish foreign ministry, official host of the Dec. 7-18 event, agreed to buy 3,000 liters (793 U.S. gallons) of biofuel from four Nordic companies that will produce it from plant chaff at an experimental facility".
- "'This will show the world that second-generation biofuel is a technology that's very close to entering the market,' Bjarne Adamsen, director at Danisco, the world’s second-largest producer of biofuel enzymes, said in an interview in the Copenhagen-based ministry."[4]
- Is Biofuel Policy Harming European Biodiversity?, 25 April 2009 by Science Daily:
- "A recent paper by Eggers et al. presents a new method of assessing biodiversity impacts resulting from changing land use due to the production of biofuel crops in Europe, distinguishing between arable (first generation) and woody (second-generation) crop types.
- "The results indicate that more species might suffer from habitat losses rather than benefit from a doubled biofuel target, while abolishing the biofuel target would mainly have positive effects."[5]
- Shell halts wind and solar spending in favour of biofuels, 18 March 2009 by BusinessGreen.com: "Oil giant Shell has announced it is to focus its future renewable energy strategy on biofuels and halt investment in technologies such as wind and solar, which it maintains are failing to offer sufficient economic returns."
- Shell "has established itself as the world's largest buyer and blender of biofuels and has increased funding for a number of developers of second generation biofuels over the past year, only this month taking a larger stake in biofuel specialist Codexis."
- "Friends of the Earth (FoE) accused Shell of 'backing the wrong horse' with its focus on biofuels, arguing that they 'often lead to more emissions than the petrol and diesel they replace'."[6]
- IEA report examines second-generation biofuel challenges, 10 March 2009 by Biomass Magazine: The International Energy Agency "has released a report examining the current first- and second-generation biofuel industries and the challenges at-hand for second-generation biofuel development and commercialization. The report's researchers have concluded that while many technical challenges remain for second-generation biofuels, a steady transition from first- to second-generation biofuels is expected in the near- to mid-future."
- "According to the report, the transition to an integrated first- and second-generation biofuels industry will most likely be spread over the next one to two decades and will require continued significant governmental support."
- "Based on various company announcements, the IEA determined that the first commercial-scale second-generation facilities could be up and running by 2012...and that 'the first commercial plants are unlikely to be widely deployed before 2015 or 2020.'"[7]
- See the full IEA report, From 1st- to 2nd-Generation Biofuel Technologies - An Overview of Current Industry and RD&D Activities.
2008
- New Trend in Biofuels Has New Risks, 20 May 2008 by New York Times: Second generation biofuels "may bring serious unintended consequences. Most of these newer crops are what scientists label invasive species"
- Efficient Biofuel Made From Genetically Modified E. Coli Bacteria, 7 January 2008 from ScienceDaily, reported that scientists at the California university UCLA "have developed a new method for producing next-generation biofuels by genetically modifying Escherichia coli bacteria to be an efficient biofuel synthesizer." The bacteria can create branched-chain alcohols, such as isobutanol, which could be more useful as liquid fuels than ethanol.
- Genencor launches first ever commercial enzyme for cellulose ethanol. "Genencor, a division of Danish company Danisco A/S, announced the launch of Accellerase 1000, the first ever commercially available biomass enzyme developed specifically for second generation biorefineries. "
- Canadian government invests $500 million in next generation biofuels. According to Biopact, the money will go to jumpstart the production of next generation biofuels in Canada.
Events
- 12-13 April 2010, New Delhi, India: Algae Biofuel Workshop 2010. (Themes: algae, biofuel, biogas, food vs. fuel, second-generation biofuels, waste)
- 3-7 May 2010, Lyon, France: 18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition. (Themes: biomass, policies, second generation biofuels, sustainability)
- 10-11 May 2010, Bedfordshire, UK: Non Food Uses of Crops by The Association of Applied Biologists. (Themes: biochar, biomass, crop residues, policy, pyrolysis, second-generation biofuels)
- 13-14 September 2010, Berlin, Germany: FAME 2010 Summit And Exhibition - Defining The Future Biofuels Market. (Themes: biodiesel, biofuel, biomass, policy, second-generation feedstocks, technologies)
- 11-12 February 2009, Munich, Germany: The F.O. Licht 2nd Annual Developing and Commercialising Next Generation Biofuels. (Themes:commercialization, algae, ethanol, 2nd Generation)
- 23-24 February 2009, London, UK: Sustainable Bioenergy 2009 - New trends in biomass, biogas and biofuels. (Themes: European Union, sustainability, 2nd generation biofuels)
- 4 March 2009, Milan, Italy: 2nd Bio-Ethanol Conference: Second Generation Bioethanol - a realistic challenge. Organized by the Global Bioenergy Partnership and Il Sole 24 ORE Formazione (Themes: GBEP, ethanol, second-generation biofuel)
- 10 March 2009, Paris, France: Alternative Fuels Symposium- 2nd Annual Meeting (Themes: bioethanol, biodiesel)
- The Symposium will take place prior to the main two day European Fuels Conference 10th Anniversary Meeting co-hosted by Total and will cover all the latest developments in the European alternative fuels industry including hydrogen, fuel cells, electric drive trains, hybrid applications and second generation biofuels. (Themes: biofuels, second generation biofuels, technology)
- 11-13 March 2009, Bloemfontein, South Africa: Food vs. Fuel Debate Forum. (Themes: food versus fuel debate, 2nd generation biofuels)
- 28-29 April 2009, Singapore: Bioenergy Forum 2009. (Themes: sustainability, policy, 2nd generation biofuels)
- 27-28 May 2009, Amsterdam, Netherlands: 2nd Biofuels International Expo and Conference (Themes: 2nd generation biofuels, feedstocks, regulations)
- 28-29 May 2009, Geneva, Switzerland: Next Gen Bio-Ethanol. (Themes: ethanol, second generation biofuels)
- 23-24 January 2008, Pamplona, Spain: Biofuel2G: International Congress on Second Generation Biofuels
- 9-11 September 2008, Berlin, Germany: Automotive Biofuels. Themes: 2nd generation biofuels, automobiles, biofuels)
Reports
- Sustainable Production of Second-Generation Biofuels: Potential and Perspectives in Major Economies and Developing Countries (PDF) by the International Energy Agency, February 2010. "The paper focuses on opportunities and risks presented by second-generation biofuels technologies in eight case study countries: Brazil, Cameroon, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, Tanzania and Thailand."
- Global: Status of Next Generation Biofuels Facilities - 26-page September 2009 report (cost: $1,595.00) issued by Hart Energy's Global Biofuels Center.
- From the description: "Next generation biofuels have received tremendous fanfare...as a crucial part of the next steps toward energy security, reducing dependence on petroleum products and environmental well-being....Be it cellulosic ethanol, renewable diesel, biomass-to-liquids (BTL) or Fischer Tropsch liquids, made from feedstocks such as agricultural/forest/municipal solid wastes, grasses, woods, waste paper and algae, next generation biofuels are still largely under R&D."[8]
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