Biodiesel: A Potential Replacement Fuel for Compression Ignition Engines to Meet the Sustainability Criteria
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Abstract
Biodiesel has shown great potential as a replacement fuel for Compression Ignition engines to meet sustainability criteria. Biodiesel has been found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter, and other harmful pollutants. Furthermore, Biodiesel fits into conventional diesel engines without much modification, making it a viable option for the transportation sector. Global demand for fossil fuels has risen dramatically because of fast technological progress and population growth. The trend is anticipated to continue, with estimates from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicting a 28 percent increase in energy consumption between 2015 and 2040. Biodiesel is one of the newest alternatives to fossil fuels that has attracted a lot of interest due to its similarities to diesel. World energy demand is increasing due to expanding economic activity, which in turn is driven by population growth and improving standards of living. Economic activity, in one way or another, requires mobility, and this is consuming most of the world's oil supply. In this regard, energy consumption in the transport sector is becoming the determining factor in sustaining ever-increasing economic activity. Meanwhile, the transport sector is responsible for about 29% of total energy-related CO2 emissions. The possible solution suggested by many scholars, to avert the negative environmental effect of using conventional transport fuels, entails shifting to renewable forms of energy like liquid biofuels and electricity. Among the liquid biofuels, biodiesel is receiving due recognition for its environmental and fuel benefits. The use of biodiesel as a transport fuel has many advantages and disadvantages. These are associated with several factors including the characteristics of the raw materials used, and the type of processes applied for biodiesel production. This paper examines the research carried out with biodiesel as a transport fuel, emphasizing the technical and economic aspects of the advantages of using biodiesel as a transport fuel. The various biodiesel fuel properties are examined and the major factors affecting these properties are indicated.