Advanced biofuels

Advanced biofuels are high-energy liquid fuels usually used for transportation (but also available to generate power and heat) derived from sources such as woody biomass, energy grasses, municipal wastes; from cellulosic materials such as forest slash, agriculture and food processing residues and energy crops; and sustainable feedstocks such as algae. In addition to the cellulosic parts of plants, hemicellulose, pectin and lignin may be converted to building blocks of advanced biofuels.

The term differentiates advanced biofuels (2nd, 3rd and 4th generation) from first generation biofuels that typically use fermentation of easily accessible sugars and starches in food crops such as corn and sugarcane to produce ethanol. In the case of biodiesel, transesterification is the process used to convert fats, oils and grease. Renewable diesel, a drop-in fuel also uses fats and oils as feedstock; however, with processes other than transesterification. Advanced biofuels that can be used in existing storage, transport and end use infrastructure are often referred to as drop-in biofuels such as biogasoline, FT diesel, biojetfuel, and biobutanol.

A definition for advanced biofuels that arose out of legislation focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and is included in the Renewable Fuels Standard RFS of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, also known as EISA.

External links

Library of Congress for EISA Bill