Process Systems Engineering for Biofuels Development

2Waste Biomass Suitable as Feedstock for Biofuels Production

Maria Papadaki

Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, 30100, Greece

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 The Need for Biofuels

Babu (2008) defines biomass as a term used to describe all Earth's living matter. It is a general term for material derived from growing plants or from animal manure (which is effectively a processed form of plant material), while, according to Jessup (2009), biofuels are solid, liquid, or gaseous energy sources derived from renewable biomass sources. On the other hand, in article 2 of the European Community Directive “On the promotion of the use of biofuels” specific definitions of a narrower spectrum are given. As such, the term “biomass” is used to express the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agriculture (including vegetal and animal substances), forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. The term “biofuels” is exclusively referred to liquid or gaseous fuel for transport, i.e. the directive focuses in fuels which can partially replace fossil‐origin fuels employed in transport. It describes specific characteristics of “bioethanol,” “biodiesel,” “biogas,” “biomethanol,” “biodimethylether,” “bio‐ethyl tert‐butyl ether,” “bio‐ methyl tert‐butyl ether,” “synthetic biofuels,” “biohydrogen,” “pure vegetable oil” which are the referred biofuels, which naturally originate from processed ...