Progress and recent trends in biofuels

As the fossil fuels are depleting day by day, there is a need to find out an alternative fuel to fulfill the energy demand of the world. Biodiesel is one of the best available resources that have come to the forefront recently. In this paper, a detailed review has been conducted to highlight different related aspects to biodiesel industry. These aspects include, biodiesel feedstocks, extraction and production methods, properties and qualities of biodiesel, problems and potential solutions of using vegetable oil, advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel, the economical viability and finally the future of biodiesel. The literature reviewed was selective and critical. Highly rated journals in scientific indexes were the preferred choice, although other non-indexed publications, such as Scientific Research and Essays or some internal reports from highly reputed organizations such as International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy Information Administration (EIA) and British Petroleum (BP) have also been cited. Based on the overview presented, it is clear that the search for beneficial biodiesel sources should focus on feedstocks that do not compete with food crops, do not lead to land-clearing and provide greenhouse-gas reductions. These feedstocks include non-edible oils such as Jatropha curcas and Calophyllum inophyllum , and more recently microalgae and genetically engineered plants such as poplar and switchgrass have emerged to be very promising feedstocks for biodiesel production. It has been found that feedstock alone represents more than 75% of the overall biodiesel production cost. Therefore, selecting the best feedstock is vital to ensure low production cost. It has also been found that the continuity in transesterification process is another choice to minimize the production cost. Biodiesel is currently not economically feasible, and more research and technological development are needed. Thus supporting policies are important to promote biodiesel research and make their prices competitive with other conventional sources of energy. Currently, biodiesel can be more effective if used as a complement to other energy sources.

A comprehensive review on biodiesel as an alternative energy resource and its characteristics

Salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting growth and productivity of plants in many areas of the world due to increasing use of poor quality of water for irrigation and soil salinization. Plant adaptation or tolerance to salinity stress involves complex physiological traits, metabolic pathways, and molecular or gene networks. A comprehensive understanding on how plants respond to salinity stress at different levels and an integrated approach of combining molecular tools with physiological and biochemical techniques are imperative for the development of salt-tolerant varieties of plants in salt-affected areas. Recent research has identified various adaptive responses to salinity stress at molecular, cellular, metabolic, and physiological levels, although mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance are far from being completely understood. This paper provides a comprehensive review of major research advances on biochemical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms regulating plant adaptation and tolerance to salinity stress.

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Mechanism of Salinity Tolerance in Plants: Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Characterization

Lignocellulosic residues : Biodegradation and bioconversion by fungi

http://aoatools.aua.gr/pilotec/files/bibliography/Biofuels%20sources,%20biofuel%20policy,%20biofuel%20economy%20and%20global%20biofuel%20projections-1912165888/Biofuels%20sources,%20biofuel%20policy,%20biofuel%20economy%20and%20global%20biofuel%20projections.pdf

Biofuels sources, biofuel policy, biofuel economy and global biofuel projections

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in plants as byproducts during many metabolic reactions, such as photosynthesis and respiration. Oxidative stress occurs when there is a serious imbalance between the production of ROS and antioxidant defense. Generation of ROS causes rapid cell damage by triggering a chain reaction. Cells have evolved an elaborate system of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants which help to scavenge these indigenously generated ROS. Various enzymes involved in ROS-scavenging have been manipulated, over expressed or downregulated to add to the present knowledge and understanding the role of the antioxidant systems. The present article reviews the manipulation of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in plants to enhance the environmental stress tolerance and also throws light on ROS and redox signaling, calcium signaling, and ABA signaling.

Roles of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in plants during abiotic stress

An evaluation of multipurpose oil seed crop for industrial uses (Jatropha curcas L.): A review

Several reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continuously produced in plants as byproducts of many metabolic reactions, such as photosynthesis, photo respiration and respiration, Depending on the nature of the ROS species, some are highly toxic and rapidly detoxified by various cellular enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms. Oxidative stress occurs when there is a serious imbalance between the production of ROS and antioxidative defence. ROS participate in signal transduction, but also modify cellular components and cause damage. ROS is highly reactive molecules and can oxidize all types of cellular components. Various enzymes involved in ROS-scavenging have been manipulated and over expressed or down regulated. An overview of the literature is presented in terms of primary antioxidant free radical scavenging and redox signaling in plant cells. Special attention is given to ROS and ROS-anioxidant interaction as a metabolic interface for different types of signals derived from metabolisms and from the changing environment.

Reactive oxygen species, antioxidants and signaling in plants

Renewable energy sources and technologies have potential to provide solutions to the long-standing energy problems being faced by the developing countries. The renewable energy sources like wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, ocean energy, biomass energy and fuel cell technology can be used to overcome energy shortage in India. To meet the energy requirement for such a fast growing economy, India will require an assured supply of 3-4 times more energy than the total energy consumed today. The renewable energy is one of the options to meet this requirement. Today, renewable account for about 33% of India's primary energy consumptions. India is increasingly adopting responsible renewable energy techniques and taking positive steps towards carbon emissions, cleaning the air and ensuring a more sustainable future. In India, from the last two and half decades there has been a vigorous pursuit of activities relating to research, development, demonstration, production and application of a variety of renewable energy technologies for use in different sectors. In this paper, efforts have been made to summarize the availability, current status, major achievements and future potentials of renewable energy options in India. This paper also assesses specific policy interventions for overcoming the barriers and enhancing deployment of renewables for the future.

Renewable energy in India: Current status and future potentials

As the world confronts a reported food shortage and rising fuel prices, scientists around the globe are scrambling to develop biofuel feedstocks that would not divert food crops to energy. It is apparent that the demand for biodiesel is expected to increase in near future and although many edible oils might be the cheapest feedstock for biofuel production. But it may not be sustainable source to meet this increasing demand. This justifies the need to use non-edible oil seeds that can be the reliable sustainable feedstock for biofuel production. Furthermore, most of the non-edible seeds bearing trees have the potentials of reclaiming wasteland and does not compete with food crop for limited growing regions. It thus becomes imperative to search for dedicated non-edible feedstocks and their suitability for biodiesel production. This paper attempts to make an assessment of current energy scenario, potential of non-edible oil over edible oils, selected non-edible oil seeds as biodiesel feedstocks, impact of biofuel on environment and future direction. Experimental analysis by different researchers on these non-edible oils showed their great potential as feedstocks for biodiesel production. This paper also reviews the biology, distribution and chemistry of selected non-edible oil seeds plants.

Satyawati Sharma

Papers

Roles of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in plants during abiotic stress

An evaluation of multipurpose oil seed crop for industrial uses (Jatropha curcas L.): A review

Reactive oxygen species, antioxidants and signaling in plants

Renewable energy in India: Current status and future potentials

Potential non-edible oil resources as biodiesel feedstock: An Indian perspective