Energy serves as the bedrock for all economic and social development and our ability to produce it efficiently and effectively is crucial to sustainably harnessing long-term growth potential.
One of the most promising solutions for diversifying our energy production and, in so doing, making the entire system more robust, is to invest in emerging energy sources such as biofuel. In this article, we’re going to explore the advantages of biofuel for plant and mill owners, and how it can radically transform their businesses when integrated into their systems and workflows.
What is Biofuel?
Biofuel is an energy source that comes from biomass which refers to renewable organic material that can be used as a fuel source. There are typically three different types of biomass: plant materials (such as wood residues, agricultural residues, and energy crops), organic waste (such as municipal waste, animal manure, and food waste), and algae. Within these sources lies stored chemical energy which can be burned directly for heat, or converted to liquid and gaseous fuels that are then used in other processes.
The most common conversion technique is simply direct combustion which creates heat energy for heating buildings or water in biomass boilers. But in our context, industrial plants and mills will use thermodynamic, chemical, or biological conversion to produce biofuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas that can then be stored and used when needed. Additionally, there are also opportunities to create other by-products such as bioplastics and adhesives from this biomass.
What are the Advantages of Biofuel as an Energy Source?
Let’s look at four key advantages that come with biofuel:
- Biofuel reduces emissions. Biofuel can offer a reduction in harmful emissions when compared to other energy sources. This helps to reduce air pollution and acid rain within the local area, ensuring that plants and mills can meet the stringent air quality regulations often imposed by local governments.
- Biofuel utilizes waste products. In any mill or plan, there will be a significant amount of organic waste that gets generated along the way. Biofuel processes can utilize these by-products, eliminating the costs associated with disposing of them and contributing to a more circular process that is more efficient and thus more profitable over the long term.
- Biofuel can stabilize your energy costs. Most energy prices are notoriously volatile and they are subject to external market forces that you don’t control. Biofuel, on the other hand, offers a potential for a more stable pricing environment which helps plant and mill owners better manage their budgets and plan more accurately for future cash flow considerations.
- Biofuel supports the local economy. Typically, using biomass for energy involves local supply chains from where you’re sourcing the material – and so stimulating investment there can create jobs and improve the economic situation in the areas you operate in. This contribution to community development can improve stakeholder relations and help you develop key relationships that assist with business development.
These benefits point to why biofuel can be such a game changer and it’s worth considering in our current context. As the technology to achieve more efficient energy transfer improves, so will the yield that is possible with organic materials that we would have been disposing of anyway.
Reducing Air Pollution with Biofuel
Of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and so even though air pollution can be less harmful than the equivalent amount of fossil fuels, there are still pollutants that need to be managed when producing and using biomass energy. Some of the pollutants here include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and particulate material (PM).
As a result, any biofuel strategy would be incomplete without investing in the right technology that can treat those pollutants and minimize their impact on the environment. This is where we can help. Here at LDX Solutions, our proven technologies enhance efficiency, sustainability, and profitability for the biomass/biofuel industry from production to the end user.
Explore how our products and services will do the same for you by connecting with one of our experts today. We’d love to learn more about what you’re trying to achieve and how we can help ensure that you become even more responsible and successful in the future.
