Another pioneering research that could lead to the production of biofuel is on its way to help in bring down carbon emissions. The Carbon Trust has joined forces with the University of York to find ways with which microwave technology could turn garden and wood waste into biofuel. This new pyrolysis biofuel will be produced by using a process called pyrolysis, wherein microwaves are used to heat the waste in the absence of oxygen. The study will see how this process could be used to produce a biofuel to blend with fossil fuel or use as a pure fuel.
The team sees a great potential in pyrolysis and hopes that in just a few years the process will change the way biofuels are produced presently. The Carbon Trust claims that the carbon footprint of this new pyrolysis biofuel could potentially save 95 percent of carbon compared to fossil fuels. It also proclaimed that it will develop a new consortium of British businesses led by Axion Energy. The consortium that is using funding from the Department for Transport and the Department of Energy and Climate Change aims to enhance existing pyrolysis technology to produce biofuels created from organic waste materials.
The consortium is looking forward to producing its first biofuel from a pilot plant in 2014. It also aims to increase the biofuel production drastically. This initiative is expected to save seven million tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of three million cars. This method of developing biofuels using waste will divert trash from landfills, acting as a boon for the environment.
Via: Telegraph