Production of first and second-generation biodiesel for diesel engine operation: A review

Abstract

Researchers are looking at alternative cleaner technologies to fulfill the rising need for greener fuels. For this reason, alternatives like bioethanol and biodiesel have become commercially available. Renewable fuels are classified as either "first generation," "second generation," or "third generation" depending on the feedstock used in their manufacture. Over the past decade, society's reliance on first-generation biofuel feedstocks has created an inbuilt rivalry between food and fuel. Second-generation biofuel feed-stocks, such as non-edible agricultural waste products, energy crops, and crop residues, have been illuminated by emerging technical prospects. Technologies for producing biofuels have been proposed and developed in multiple stages, with first-generation technologies being the most developed. In several nations, including the United States, corn grain is used as feedstock in bio-refineries. There is a risk that food and fuel prices will rise as a result of the usage of edible materials in crops like corn. Second-generation biofuel manufacturing technology that utilizes crop residues has been developed to deal with this kind of problem. This study investigates and evaluates the economic viability and environmental sustainability of the proposed solution for the production of second-generation biodiesel.