Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 14, No. 1, 2018 81 Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. A review on characteristics, advantages and limitations of palm oil biofuel Md. Iqbal Mahmud* Department of Textile Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh-1902, Tangail, Bangladesh Email: mimchanchal@gmail.com *Corresponding author Haeng Muk Cho Division of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Kongju National University, 275, Budae-dong, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 331-717, South Korea Email: hmcho@kongju.ac.kr Abstract: Consumption and use of natural resources is a high concerning issue in modern days. Increase in fuel price, limited resources of fossil oil and great concerns on environmental matters has led the researchers and scientists to concerted and escalating research and development efforts in search of renewable and environmental friendly alternative energy sources. In this connection, recent strong demand for renewable fuels has resulted in increased production of biofuels worldwide for solving transportation fuel problems. Currently, biofuels from palm oil is being established as a great source of alternative fuel. Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel, which is also known as palm oil methyl ester. Palm oil biodiesel is often blended with other fuels to create palm oil biodiesel blends. This paper highlights on biofuel/biodiesel production from palm oil, use, advantages and limitations. Keywords: palm oil; biofuel; biodiesel; emission; transesterification; green house gas; GHG; energy balance; crude palm oil; CPO; vegetable oil; palm kernel oil; PKO. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Mahmud, M.I. and Cho, H.M. (2018) ‘A review on characteristics, advantages and limitations of palm oil biofuel’, Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp.81–96. Biographical notes: Md. Iqbal Mahmud received his BSc in 2002 and MSc in 2010 in Mechanical Engineering from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Bangladesh and Kongju National University (KNU), South Korea, respectively. He received his PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongju National University (KNU), South Korea in 2015. Currently, he is serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Textile Engineering of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology, Bangladesh.