The use of biofuels in industry

Biofuels are of organic origin and can be produced from a variety of raw materials, both plant and animal based. In industry, the following types of biofuels are mainly used:

• bioethanol - fuel produced from plant biomass, mainly from raw materials such as corn, sugarcane or sugar beets. It is mainly used in the chemical industry and to power combustion engines;
• biodiesel - obtained from vegetable oils (e.g. rapeseed, soybean) or animal fats, biodiesel is used as a substitute for traditional diesel fuel in diesel engines. It is applied in the transport industry and in power generators;
• biogas - produced in the anaerobic fermentation process of organic matter, e.g. agricultural waste, food scraps or sewage sludge. It can be used to produce electricity and heat in cogeneration installations;
• biomass - covers a wide range of materials such as wood, sawdust, straw or agricultural waste. Biomass is burned to generate heat or electricity, often in combination with traditional fuels;
• green hydrogen - hydrogen produced from biomass, considered a future-oriented solution due to the absence of CO₂ emissions during combustion. Although the technology is still in development, biohydrogen may have wide applications in the energy and chemical industries;
• RDF - (Refuse Derived Fuel) is an alternative fuel, also known as waste-derived fuel, obtained through further processing of high-calorific waste, such as industrial or municipal waste.

Biofuels can be used in many industrial sectors, especially where minimizing environmental impact is important:

Use of biofuels in the chemical industry

The chemical industry is one of the largest consumers of energy in the industrial sector, so effective energy resource management plays a key role in its operations. Biofuels can be used both as an energy source and as raw materials for further chemical processing. Bioethanol, produced from plant biomass, is an excellent feedstock for the production of plastics, solvents or chemical additives. In addition, green hydrogen – an ecological alternative to conventional hydrogen produced from natural gas – has great potential as a fuel in chemical and energy processes, providing low pollutant emissions.

Biofuels in the food industry

The food industry, especially the food processing sector, can effectively use biofuels to power its production processes. Processing plants generate large amounts of organic waste, which can be converted into biogas and then used to produce electricity and heat. The use of biogas in cogeneration (simultaneous production of electricity and heat) allows for maximizing energy efficiency while reducing operating costs and environmental impact. Biofuels can power heating furnaces, dryers and production lines, making food plants more energy self-sufficient. Moreover, implementing biofuels in the food industry is also a step towards a circular economy – waste is converted into energy, reducing the amount of residues sent to landfill.

Use of biofuels in the paper industry

The paper industry, due to the high energy intensity of production processes, is also a great candidate for implementing biofuels. Paper production requires significant amounts of thermal energy, especially in drying processes and pulp processing. In many plants, biomass such as wood waste, sawdust or other organic residues can be effectively converted into energy. Biomass can be burned in industrial boilers to produce process steam and thermal energy needed for paper drying. This way, paper companies not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also lower their costs related to the purchase of traditional fossil fuels. Many plants are currently analyzing the possibility of implementing multi-fuel boilers to obtain thermal energy from production waste, wastewater treatment residues and the combustion of municipal waste in the form of RDF.

Use of biofuels in the transport industry

In the transport industry, especially in logistics, where goods are mainly transported by trucks, the use of biofuels can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions. Biodiesel, produced from vegetable oils or animal fats, can be used as a substitute for traditional diesel fuel in diesel engines. Bioethanol, obtained from plant biomass, can be used as an additive to gasoline. In industries where vehicle fleets are heavily used, switching to biofuels contributes not only to emission reductions but also to lower operating costs, especially when local sources of biofuels are available. Additionally, the use of biofuels in transport supports the achievement of sustainability goals, and companies can showcase more environmentally friendly supply chains.

Biofuels in the metallurgical and cement industries

The metallurgical and cement industries, due to their energy-intensive production processes, can benefit from biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels. In particular, biomass and biogas can be used to power furnaces for the production of metals and cement. In steel mills, biomass can replace traditional fuels such as coal or coke, reducing CO₂ emissions. In the cement industry, burning biomass in clinker kilns can significantly reduce pollutant emissions while improving energy efficiency. In these industries, where large amounts of thermal energy are required, biofuels can be a real alternative to fossil fuels.

Biofuels will be most effective where there is potential to optimize technological and energy processes by using available organic resources. For example, the food and agricultural industries can fully utilize their waste to produce biogas, significantly reducing operating costs. Chemical plants, on the other hand, can efficiently convert biomass into bioethanol or biohydrogen, using these raw materials in further technological processes. The effectiveness of biofuel use also depends on infrastructure. Companies with cogeneration installations can maximize the use of heat and electricity from biofuels, increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

Like any solution, biofuels have their advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered when developing a company's energy strategy.

Advantages of biofuels:

• renewability - biofuels are produced from renewable raw materials, making them more sustainable in the long term than fossil fuels;
• CO₂ emission reduction - the use of biofuels helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions, enabling companies to meet increasingly strict environmental standards;
• local sources of raw materials - biofuel production can rely on local raw materials, reducing dependence on imported fuels and lowering transport costs;
• closed production cycle - the food and agricultural industries can use their waste to produce biogas, contributing to a circular economy.

Disadvantages of biofuels:

• investment costs - installing systems adapted to using biofuels, such as biomass boilers or biogas plants, can involve high initial costs;
• availability of raw materials - depending on the region, the availability of raw materials for biofuel production may be limited, which can affect supply stability;
• low energy efficiency - some biofuels, such as biogas or biomass, have lower energy efficiency compared to traditional fossil fuels.

The use of biofuels in various industrial sectors is important for implementing net-zero strategies. The chemical, food, paper, energy, transport, and metallurgical industries can benefit from adopting biofuels, reducing CO₂ emissions. Biofuels are not only a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels but also enable the use of energy transition mechanisms, financial savings, especially where organic waste can be converted into biogas or biomass. Long-term benefits of using biofuels include not only improving a company’s image but also better compliance with increasingly strict environmental regulations.