Position Paper UFOP: Action areas and the need for research in biofuels

In 2005, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) founded the working group "Biofuels and Renewable Resources" with experts from the engine, mineral oil, biofuel and automotive industries as well as from science and trade associations.

Tasks: Discussion of the potentials and requirements of biofuels (focus on biodiesel/HVO and rapeseed oil fuel) for current and future engine developments and emission requirements as well as interaction effects of different fuel components.

The Commission has summarised the most important fields of action for future accompanying research in a position paper, which was currently published as a scientific contribution in the journal "Fuel" by Elsevier Verlag

Abstract

The combustion of chemicals in engines is much more than a transformation of chemical energy into kinetic energy. Fuel, engine and exhaust gas treatment form a unit with mutual dependencies and optimisation potentials.

Above all, the creation of diesel fuels with different biodiesel proportions or biocomponents (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, HVO) and raw material provenances is becoming one of the greatest challenges for the petroleum and vehicle industry from a global point of view.

But also offers the potential of a timely, based on existing infrastructure, positive climate change. New regenerative fuels entail properties such as polarity, soot mitigation potential and strong solution properties that require optimal formulations, suitable combustion parameters, and chemical resistance of fuel-bearing components.

The paper summarizes the most important findings on biofuels and describes the need for action and research, as well as future challenges for biofuels as a pure fuel and blend component from the point of view of business and science.

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