What Are Biofuels?
Biofuels are transportation fuels produced from biomass. Biofuels fall into two broad categories based on their feedstock and the process used to produce the finished product.
First-generation biofuels are produced in two ways. One way is through the fermentation of either a starch-based food product, such as corn kernels, or a sugar-based food product, such as sugar cane, into ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, or "gasohol." Another way is by processing vegetable oils, such as soy, rapeseed and palm, into biodiesel, a nonpetroleum-based diesel fuel.
Second-generation, or "advanced," biofuels, made from nonfood sources, hold significant promise as a low-carbon, renewable transportation fuel that can complement traditional petroleum-based fuels in meeting the world's future energy needs. Research into this experimental process is focused on developing technologies that can convert cellulosic biomass, often regarded as a waste material, into transportation fuels. Examples of cellulosic biomass include:
- Agricultural wastes, such as corn stalks and husks
- Forestry wastes, such as wood chips and tree trimmings
- Fast-growing trees and grasses grown as energy crops
- Waste paper
- Food processing wastes
Although using cellulosic biomass as a source of new transportation fuels has obvious advantages, these materials have different chemical structural bonds than food-based crops and are difficult to break down, especially on a large scale. These second-generation fuels may play an important role in diversifying the world's energy sources and curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
What Are the Benefits?
Biofuels are renewable, meaning their sources can be regrown. And depending on the feedstock, the processing technology and the type of fuel produced, they can offer environmental benefits such as lower carbon emissions and lower sulfur compared with conventional petroleum-based fuels.
Some U.S. states now require gasoline to be blended with up to 10 percent ethanol (E10). Higher concentrations, such as E85, are officially classified as alternative fuels and can be used only in specially designed engines.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 set a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard requiring fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. This increase in renewable fuels is projected to represent roughly 5 percent of the total U.S. gasoline consumption. Most of this increase is expected to be ethanol.
What Chevron Is Doing
As part of Chevron's strategy to invest in renewable energy technologies, we have formed a business unit to advance technology and pursue commercial opportunities related to the production and distribution of advanced biofuels. We are actively investing in the acceleration of the scientific, technical and commercial breakthroughs necessary to bring nonfood biofuels to large-scale commercial production.
We have formed strategic research alliances with industry, universities, national laboratories and government. These partners and efforts include:
- A five-year partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology to pursue advanced research into viable cellulosic biofuels and hydrogen transportation fuels
- A five-year research collaboration with the University of California at Davis to develop transportation fuels from such renewable resources as rice straw and agricultural waste
- A five-year research and development agreement with the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory to advance the development of renewable transportation fuels
- A four-year research alliance with Texas A&M University focused on the production and conversion of nonfood crops into renewable transportation fuels
We are using our extensive experience in molecular conversion, product engineering, advanced manufacturing and fuels distribution to build a new biofuels business focused on the development of nonfood biofuels.
Chevron and Weyerhaeuser Co., one of the world's largest forest products companies, have formed a 50-50 joint venture — Catchlight Energy LLC. Catchlight's initial focus is developing and demonstrating novel technologies for converting cellulose and lignin — the structural building blocks of all plants and trees — into economical, low-carbon biofuels.
Updated: March 2009