Biofuels

Providing the world's growing population with its increasing demands for energy is a major challenge for science, business and society alike. Energy can be generated from many sources, but not all sources are suitable for every application. Much of today's technology has been built on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels derived from fossil sources. However, the supply of these is finite and their combustion produces carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming. Therefore, alternative sources of energy are required which are renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral.

This textbook explores the production of biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, focusing on the technological issues that need to be addressed for any new fuel source. Each type of biofuel currently in production is considered in detail, covering the benefits and problems with production and use and the potential for biological material to provide sufficient energy for the world's population - the principles on which future fuel development are based.

Alan Scragg was Reader in Environmental Biotechnology at University of the West of England (1990-2008). Prior to the position at UWE the author was Senior Lecturer at University of Sheffield (1983-1990), Senior Scientist with Cadbury-Schweppes (1975-1983), staff position at NIMR Mill Hill (1970-1975) and postdoctoral position University of Wisconsin.

The author has produced over 100 publications including two books and has edited two more and has been an associate editor for three journals. Research on microalgae and biofuels started twelve years ago involving the growth of microalgae on a large scale and their use in emulsion fuels with both diesel and biodiesel.