Biofuels
Biofuels can be an effective, environment-friendly and low-cost source of energy capable of replacing conventional fossil fuels mainly gasoline up to some extent. In advanced countries plants have been set up to produce Biofuels. In the United States about 14% of oil requirements are supplemented by biofuels. But currently biofuels are being produced from food sources like corn, sugar canes which is posing a threat to food security.
Cellulosic biofuels are produced from non-food sources like grasses, agricultural wastes, non-edible plant parts etc. These biomass can be used to produce ethanol, the main element of biofuels through fermentation. Cellulosic biofuels is capable of reducing 85% greenhouse gasses (GHG) in relation to refined gasoline.
Our country is an agricultural one and we have great scope for producing cellulosic biofuels using agricultural wastes, grasses and other non-edible plant parts. Both public and private sectors should undertake initiative to setting up plants for producing cellulosic biofuels with a view to reducing oil use and global warming emissions.
Professor M Zahidul Haque
Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University,
Dhaka.
