Latvian scientists work on new biofuel synthesis

Scientists of Rīga Technical University (RTU) work on new biofuel synthesis techniques, which could open up the possibility of producing such fuel in Latvia.

With global warming and climate change, the world is increasingly thinking of abandoning the use of diesel and petrol in the operation of vehicles.
There are two ways of doing that now: driving an electric car, which not everyone can afford at the moment, or developing the production of biofuels based on renewable resources.

Currently, in many parts of the world, oil of various plants is used for the development of such biofuels, but according to Valdis Kampars, director of the RTU Institute for Applied Chemistry, it shouldn't be done too much with materials that can be used for consumption:

“They have to be gradually replaced with raw materials that are not edible. The RTU Institute for Applied Chemistry is working on methods that could help produce different biofuels from other materials in the future. The second direction involves the use of lignocellulose. We are creating new catalysts.”

The essence is that any carbon-containing raw material, such as waste, wood materials or agricultural straw, can be gasified and produce carbon monoxide like that. Carbon monoxide, along with hydrogen, is a raw material to synthesize absolutely all fuels.

Some of the studies in the development of new biofuel synthesis techniques have been carried out in cooperation a Latvian producer. The studies aim to make it possible to carry out the process of producing such fuel locally in Latvia in the future.

Source: eng.lsm.lv