Nextgen Fuels: Waste Reduction To Biofuel Production

With the rise of greenhouse gases and the finite supply of fossil fuels eventually depleting, a need for an alternative renewable source of energy is inevitable. Biodiesel is proving that it can withstand the large demand for powering the future. Traditional ways of producing biodiesel include transesterification using animal fats or vegetable oils. The only take-away is the removal of energy crops that could be used for a source of food and the stripping of nutrients in the soil. The goal of this project is to break away from tradition and utilize gasification of biomass for the production of biofuel. Syngas production from gasification of woodchips will provide two major solutions that the world currently faces. By utilizing a renewable waste such as woodchips it will bring purpose to what would eventually end up taking space in a landfill. In mills and urban wood production facilities alone, there are greater than 39 million bone dry tons of woodchips available per year for raw materials. This is roughly 7,500 MW of energy not being used every year. The other, finding an alternative to fossil fuels to ultimately better the environment. Biodiesel demand has grown greatly over the last few years and shows a promising future. The EPA has proposed the Renewable Fuel Standards program which will increase biomass-based biodiesel from 2.1 billion gallons in 2018 to 2.43 billion gallons in 2020. This project not only shows promise in capitalizing on a growing biofuel market, but more importantly aids in the relief of protecting the environment.