BIODIESEL AS A POTENTIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE: A REVIEW

Today not only the transport but also all the human activities are highly energy intensive. For which we are almost totally dependent on fossil fuels. The scarcity of conventional fossil fuels, growing emissions of pollutants during combustion, and their increasing costs brought in to focus the need for developing alternate fuels for the survival of the mankind. An alternative fuel to petrodiesel must be technically feasible, economically competitive, environmentally acceptable, and easily available. Biomass among all alternative fuels has been proved to more attractive and promising energy resource as just one by eighth of total biomass produced annually worldwide can fulfill all of humanity’s current demand. Moreover, the huge potential of biomass is yet to be explored as its abundance on the globe is highest among all renewable resources. Various techniques are available for the conversion of biomass into biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel and thermochemical conversion products. The commercialization and development of biofuels is dependent upon various parameters for the advancement of this technology. The present article investigates and summarizes different aspects of biodiesel energy resource such as types of sources, methods of synthesis and their physical and chemical properties.