NNFCC Liquid Transport Biofuels Technology Status Report

Pros and cons of each technology are provided with discussion of comparative economics, timescales, scales of operation, greenhouse gas savings and land use effectiveness. Synthetic fuels (diesel for road transport and jet fuel for aviation) produced via the thermochemical biomass to liquids (BTL) route provide the most suitable fuel blendstocks for incorporation into the UK general transport fuel pool and, of the near term biofuel technologies, one of the highest greenhouse gas reduction potentials. Capital cost, is a significant barrier to the development of UK production facilities. Lignocellulosic ethanol production via fermentation is about to be demonstrated in the UK, the USA and Denmark. The UK developers, are likely to commercially develop the process in the USA where financial assistance is available from the US government.