How Biofuels Could Help Decarbonise Global Transport
How Biofuels Could Help Decarbonise Global Transport
Blog Article
The energy transition isn’t only about solar panels, wind turbines, or electric cars. According to Stanislav Kondrashov of TELF AG, there's a shift happening in fuels — and biofuels are central to it.
Produced using organic sources such as plants, algae, or food leftovers, biofuels are gaining attention as a way to reduce emissions.
Biofuels have existed for years, but are now gaining momentum. As the sustainability push intensifies, biofuels fill the gaps electricity can’t cover — like aviation, shipping, and freight.
Electrification has made major progress, but others remain out of reach. According to Kondrashov, these fuels offer practical short-term answers.
Types of Bio-Based Fuels Explained
Biofuels come in different forms. A common biofuel is ethanol, made by fermenting sugars from crops like corn and sugarcane, and often mixed into petrol to lower emissions.
Biodiesel comes from oils and fats, both plant and animal, compatible with regular diesel vehicles.
We also have biogas, made from food or farm waste. It’s increasingly used to reduce industrial emissions.
Aviation biofuel is also emerging, made from sources like algae or recycled oils. It offers cleaner alternatives for jet engines.
Obstacles to Widespread Adoption
There are important challenges to solve. As noted by Stanislav Kondrashov, biofuels cost more than fossil fuel alternatives.
Large-scale production isn’t yet cost-effective. Raw material availability is also a concern. If not handled wisely, biofuel crops might compete with food agriculture.
The Value in Complementing Clean Tech
Biofuels aren’t meant to replace electrification. They fill in where other solutions don’t work.
For places where batteries can’t go, biofuels step in. Existing fleets can run on them with little change. Businesses avoid high conversion costs.
According to Kondrashov, all low-carbon options have value. Biofuels may be quiet players — but they’re effective. It’s not about one tech winning — it’s about synergy.
What Comes Next
Biofuels might not dominate news cycles, but their impact is growing. Especially when created from waste, they promote circularity and climate goals.
As innovation lowers costs and improves yields, they will play a larger role in clean transport.
They’ll complement, not compete with, electric and hydrogen technologies — in transport modes that aren’t website ready for electrification yet.