SUSTAINABLE BIOFUEL PRODUCTION FROM NON-FOOD SOURCES - AN OVERVIEW

Zainul Abideen; Abdul Hameed; Hans -Werner Koyro; Bilquees Gul; Raziuddin Ansari; M. Ajmal Khan

doi:10.9755/ejfa.v26i12.19107

Authors

Zainul Abideen aInstitute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Abdul Hameed aInstitute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Hans -Werner Koyro Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
Bilquees Gul aInstitute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Raziuddin Ansari aInstitute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
M. Ajmal Khan Qatar Shell Professorial Chair in Sustainable Development, Department of International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.v26i12.19107

Keywords:

Algae, Biofuels, Halophytes, Photosynthetic bacteria, Renewable energy, Salinity

Abstract

Increasing human population demands more fuel supply causing the release of hazardous greenhouse gases that could be compensated by supplementing with renewable and environment-friendly alternatives such as biofuels. The argument against the use of food crops for biofuel production that it may cause food shortages can be countered by using feedstock outside the human food chain. This opens up the possibility of using halophytes, algae and photosynthetic bacteria as sources of the carbon neutral biofuel which can be produced sustainably without compromising conventional agriculture. In this review we assess the suitability of these non-food resources as bio-fuel alternates.