What Are Biogenic Fuels?

Biogenic fuels are those which are produced from combusting organic matter. Often shortened to biofuels, they are theoretically better for the environment due to the fact that any carbon emitted at the point of combustion will be absorbed over the course of the lifetime of the plant which replaces them. They also do not damage the environment in their extraction, they’re widely available and extremely affordable.

If that sounds like it’s too good to be true, it should be acknowledged that there are certain flies in the ointment. For one thing, biogenic fuels can only be considered carbon neutral if they are indeed replenished, which sadly often does not occur. Even then, the time it takes for the replacement plant to absorb the equivalent amount of carbon that is emitted during combustion is far longer than the combustion time itself, making the ratio unequal. Finally, and perhaps most crucially of all, the land used for biofuel cultivation can displace forested areas or that set aside for food production, potentially negatively impacting biodiversity and food security.

Different types of biogenic fuels

Generally speaking, there are two types of biogenic fuels: primary biofuels or first generation (1G) agrofuels, and secondary biofuels or second generation (2G) biogenic fuels. How do these differ? Well, the former have been grown with the express purpose of serving as biomass for energy production. These types of fuels are normally comprised of crops such as corn, maize, rapeseed, palm and sugarcane, among others, and are converted into fuel alternatives such as bioethanol and biodiesel.

By contrast, 2G biogenic fuels are by-products of other processes, such as scrap timber from the construction and manufacturing industries, residual wood left over from forestation efforts or sawmill waste. Meanwhile, novel feedstocks such as straw, clippings from beside major roadways, algae and seaweed can serve as 2G fuels, as can food wastage and the parts of edible plants which are not fit for human consumption.

The issue with biogenic fuels

At their inception, biogenic fuels were touted as something of a cure-all to the world’s energy issues. However, research into their consumption of resources and the emissions they engender has revealed that 1G biofuels in particular might not be as environmentally friendly as first posited. That’s because they are consuming both land and food produce that could go towards sustaining a global populace that is projected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, thus potentially jeopardising food security.

2G biofuels are, on the whole, deemed to be far more sustainable, since they do not inhibit other industries or objectives. However, they currently account for a mere 2% of all biogenic fuel consumption and large-scale production of 2G biogenic fuels is still many years (if not decades) away. The EU are currently promoting the uptake of 2G biofuels by attributing them double weighting in a company’s environmental profile and disincentivising 1G agrofuels by capping their composition of biofuel products.