18 Oct Biofuels

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010

At the beginning of the 21st century, France has decided to develop its industrial channels related to the production of 1st generation of biofuels, from agricultural fields to transformation plants. These channels include cereal and beet cultures and storage for the production of ethanol as well as colza and sunflowers for the production of vegetal oils. Ethanol and vegetal oils can replace respectively gasoline and diesel after their chemical transformation. Thermochemical processes related to such transformations and their economics are discussed. The report describes also the potential use of agricultural wastes and forestry, which would not compete with the above mentioned agricultural products intended for food. These 2nd generation biofuels are under development and should be operational and in use after 2020.