Biokubo: The search for an alternative feedstock for biodiesel

Part IV. The Future

In the first three parts of this series, the need and rationale for an alternative feedstock biodiesel and candidates from various sources were discussed. In this concluding part, I discuss the “demise” of jatropha and some parting thoughts on how we may decide on possible alternatives.

When the Philippine National Oil Co.-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC) announced that it was dropping its jatropha project, there were the usual cries for investigations. While it may be useful to look back and see if there are any learnings that may be gleaned from this project, it is likely that the jatropha proponents may just be guilty of being aggressive. Surely, this is not a sin considering that the stakes were so high. If the situation were different and jatropha had turned out to be a hit, then surely there would be accusations of timidity. 

It is encouraging to note that, even though jatropha has now joined the likes of other panacea organisms like the golden kuhol and giant ipil-ipil, the DOE and the DOST state that jatropha research will continue. The problem with jatropha was that it was a one-product plant. Finding more uses for the seed cake may eventually make it an economically feasible plant. More encouraging are the noises that local research into microalgal feedstock will be pursued on a larger scale. One hopes that there is an awareness that the P1-billion used for the jatropha project would be a drop in the bucket compared to what would eventually be spent on a microalgae biodiesel project.

So the problem remains: how can energy be provided for human activities that is inexpensive, safe, sustainable and accessible? As we decide on which path to follow, there are certain pitfalls that we must avoid in forming our judgments. 

“Perfect”: There is a tendency to find panaceas when trying to find alternative energy sources. Requiring that alternatives be perfect would only mean not replacing petroleum at all. After all, petroleum itself is toxic, unsustainable and increasingly expensive. There will be some cost and inconvenience involved as we make the transition. This must be accepted.

“One-size-fits-all”: Alternative fuel solutions may fit certain economies and certain locales. Biodiesel from defective coffee beans may make sense in coffee-growing areas like Brazil but would certainly not make sense in the EU. Increasingly, it appears that a blend of materials will be necessary or desirable to meet the demands of each market.

“Forever”: The energy solution of the present would most likely not be the solution for all time. There could be transition solutions. In the future, an “ideal” transport system using solar-powered electric vehicles or some other exotic energy might be used but this would require a massive introduction of new engines and new infrastructure. Biodiesel seems to be one of those solutions that would eventually wean us away from the internal combustion engine. By providing a more environmentally friendly (albeit imperfect) alternative to petrodiesel, existing engines could continue to be used until a better solution is found and gradually introduced.

“Immediately!”: On the opposite end, the business world’s demand is “get-it-done-yesterday.” Fuel and engines have evolved to be almost symbiotic over the years. Introduction of new fuels almost has to be done as carefully as the introduction of new drugs, lest the engines suffer from side-effects. Such is the reality. Solutions are not going to come quickly, easily or cheaply.

Diesel fuel from agricultural or aquacultural crops may provide a solution to this energy problem. Then again it may not. Where will the solution come from? The traditional Tagalog ditty on which this piece has made a pun, serves to remind us that the biological diversity with which our country has been blessed may ultimately provide the answer. 

Additional reading:

The interested reader may consult my more technically oriented paper “Alternative crops for biodiesel feedstock” which was published in 2009 as Article No. 56 in Volume 4 of “CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources.” Citations and additional support for the statements in this article may be found there. A copy may be found online at http://www.cabi.org/cabreviews/default.aspx?LoadModule=Review&ReviewID=115703&site=167&page=1178

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Luis F. Razon is a full professor of chemical engineering at De La Salle University. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering (magna cum laude) from De La Salle University and his MS and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. His papers on the dynamics and stability of chemically reacting systems are some of the best-cited papers in the chemical engineering literature. He served in the food industry for 14 years, launching several important new products for a major international nutritional products company. He returned to the academe in 2001 and is pursuing research in chemical reactor engineering, alternative fuels and life-cycle assessment. E-mail at [email protected].