Journal of Civil Engineering and Environmental Technology Print ISSN: 2349-8404; Online ISSN: 2349-879X; Volume 2, Number 12; April-June, 2015 pp. 45-49 © Krishi Sanskriti Publications http://www.krishisanskriti.org/jceet.html Bio Fuel- A Detailed Investigation Md Iqbal Ahmad 1 , Subhro Chakraborty 2 , Aritra Guin 3 , Abhishek Kumar Singh 4 and Anindya Chatterjee 5 1 Mechanical Engineering Department, University Of Engineering &Management, Jaipur, India) 2, 3 Civil Engineering Department, University Of Engineering & Management, Jaipur, India) 4, 5 (4 th Year BTech, Undergraduate Student, University Of Engineering & Management, Jaipur, India) Abstract—India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Development Objectives focus on economic growth, equity and human well being. Energyisa criticalinputforsocio-economicdevelopment. India is the world’s fifth largest consumer of energy, and by 2030 it is expected to become the third largest, overtaking Japan and Russia. India has only 0.4 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves. It is also projected to run out of coal, its primary source of energy, in forty years. Its domestic natural gas reserves are limited as well. Fossil fuels will continue to play a dominant role in the energy scenario in our country in the next few decades. India’s energy security would remain vulnerable until alternative fuels to substitute/supplement petro-based fuels are developed based on indigenously produced renewable feed stocks. In bio fuels, the country has a ray of hope in providing energy security. The Indian approach to bio fuels, in particular, is somewhat different to the current international approaches and is discussed in this paper. It is based solely on non-food feed stocks to be raised on degraded or wastelands that are not suited to agriculture, thus avoiding a possible conflict of fuel vs. food security. An indicative target of 20% blending of bio-fuels, both for bio-diesel and bio- ethanol, by 2017 is proposed. Keywords: Bio-fuel, Energy, Policy, Biodiesel, Ethanol. 1. INTRODUCTION In thecontext of shrinkingcrudeoilreserves, rising demandandtheresultantriseinpricesofpetroleum, aswellas theconcernsaboutglobalclimatechangeandenergy security, bio energy is becomingincreasinglyrelevantasapossible and potentialalternativetofossilfuels. Bio-fuelsareliquidor gaseousfuelsproducedfrombiomassresourcesandused in placeof, orinadditionto, diesel, petrolorotherfossil fuelsfor transport, stationary, portable and other application. Bio- fuelsarederivedfromrenewablebio-massresources and, therefore, providea strategicadvantage to provide sustainable development and to supplement conventionalenergy sources in meeting the rapidly increasingrequirements for transportationfuels associated with higheconomicgrowth, aswellasinmeetingtheenergyneedsof India’svastruralpopulation Definition and Broad Classification Of Bio-Fuels: 1. ‘Bio-fuels’ are liquid or gaseous fuels produced from biomass resources and used in place of, or in addition to, diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications; 2. ‘Biomass’ resources are the biodegradable fraction of products, wastes and residues from agriculture, forestry and related industries as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal wastes. 2. SOURCE OF BIO FUEL AND CONVERSION TECHNIQUES Sources Of Bio-Fuels (i) First generationbio fuels:First generationbio fuelsare madefrombiomassconsisting ofsugars, starch, vegetable oils, animalstarchorbiodegradable outputwastesfrom agriculture, industry, forestry and households using andmeetsonly 30%ofnational requirement, whilethe balanceismetthroughimportsofnearly146millionmetric conventional technologies. (ii)Secondgenerationbiofuels:Secondgeneration biofuel technologies aregainingimportancebecausefirstgeneration biofuelsmanufacture hasgotmajorlimitations.Theprimary oneisthat, theycannot beproduced beyondathreshold level withoutthreatening foodsecurity. (iii)Thirdand Fourthgenerationbio-fuels:Thethird generation biofuels includeAlgalbiodiesel, Algalhydrogen andconversion ofbiomasstohydrogenwhereasthefourth generation biofuels include biofuels from high solar efficiency cultivations. 3. SCENARIO OFBIOFUELSININDIA Thedomesticproduction ofcrudeoilfromfossilfuels remains moreorless stagnantovertheyear’s tonnes of crudepetroleumproducts that cost the country close to $90 billionin 2008-09.