A WIDE PERSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE OF SUSTAINABLE FUELS IN DECARBONIZING TRANSPORT AND COMPARISON WITH FOSSIL FUELS

Abstract

The transition to sustainable fuels has become essential in international initiatives to mitigate climate change and attain carbon neutrality. Sustainable fuels—especially bioenergy and low-emission hydrogen—are vital for decarbonizing high-emission sectors like industry, transportation, and aviation. By offering alternatives where direct electrification and energy efficiency fall short, these fuels enhance energy security and diversification. Under the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) 2050 scenario, need for low-emission fuels like biofuels, and hydrogen is expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050, highlighting their significance in meeting long-term climate goals. A comparative analysis reveals that biofuels provide a unique advantage over intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, offering continuous energy production capability. In 2023, biofuel demand reached 2.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (mboe/d) and is projected to rise to 3.2 mboe/d by 2035 and 4.1 mboe/d by 2050, driven partly by the growing demand for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Although biofuels have a higher carbon footprint than cleaner options like solar and wind, they maintain compatibility with existing fossil fuel infrastructure, making them particularly suitable for the transportation sector. Consequently, the need for fossil fuels is expected to decrease significantly by 2050, with oil demand falling from 78.3 mboe/d in 2030 to 23 mboe/d, while biofuels and hydrogen-based fuels experience a 72% increase over the same period. This study evaluates the current roles, advantages, and disadvantages of sustainable fuels in the energy transition, underscoring the demand for supportive regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, and sustainability standards to encourage widespread adoption. Sustainable fuels offer a critical opportunity to reduce carbon emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, playing a pivotal role in transitioning toward a low-carbon global economy.

Keywords

• sustainable fuel
• biofuel
• net zero emissions
• decarbonization

References

1. [1] Baydar, C., Yağlı, H., Ata, S., Koç, Y., Koç, A., & Kocaman, E. (2024). Scrutinizing effect of temperature and pressure variation of a double-pressure dual-cycle geothermal power plant turbines on the temperature profile and heat gain of the heat exchangers. Energy Conversion and Management, 322, 119104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.119104
2. [2] International Energy Agency, 2023. World Energy Outlook. (Accessed in: 25 October 2024) https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023
3. [3] Love, J. (2022). Microbial pathways for advanced biofuel production. Biochemical Society Transactions, 50(2), 987-1001. https://doi.org/10.1042/bst20210764
4. [4] Khaw, K. and Ni, T. (2021). Fossil fuel price, carbon dioxide emission, and renewable energy capacity: evidence from asian developing countries. International Journal of Banking and Finance, 16. https://doi.org/10.32890/ijbf2021.16.1.5
5. [5] Kolakoti, A., Setiyo, M., & Waluyo, B. (2021). Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil: characterization, modeling and optimization. Mechanical Engineering for Society and Industry, 1(1), 22-30. https://doi.org/10.31603/mesi.5320
6. [6] King, R. and Tingas, E. (2021). Potential for carbon-neutral advanced biofuels in uk road transport. Journal of Energy Engineering, 147(4). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)ey.1943-7897.0000775
7. [7] Chiavola, O. (2024). High pressure injection pump operating with renewable diesel fuels.. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.1319.v1
8. [8] Kwok, J. (2021). Towards a hydrogen economy – a sustainable pathway for global energy transition. Hkie Transactions, 28(2), 102-107. https://doi.org/10.33430/v28n2thie-2020-0046

9. [9] Abánades, A., Rathnam, R., Geißler, T., Heinzel, A., Mehravaran, K., Müller, G., … & Wetzel, T. (2016). Development of methane decarbonisation based on liquid metal technology for co2-free production of hydrogen. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 41(19), 8159-8167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.11.164
10. [10] Harrison, T., Midgley, W., Goodall, R., & Ward, C. (2021). Development and control of a rail vehicle model to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part F Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, 235(10), 1237-1248. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409721993632
11. [11] Warguła, Ł., Kukla, M., Lijewski, P., Dobrzyński, M., & Markiewicz, F. (2020). Impact of compressed natural gas (cng) fuel systems in small engine wood chippers on exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. Energies, 13(24), 6709. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13246709
12. [12] Hagos, D. and Ahlgren, E. (2018). Economic performance evaluation of natural gas vehicles and their fuel infrastructures. E3s Web of Conferences, 51, 01008. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20185101008
13. [13] Dyrhauge, H. (2021). Discourses about eu transport decarbonisation: towards a paradigm shift?. The International Spectator, 56(3), 71-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/03932729.2021.1962665
14. [14] Etukudoh, E. (2024). A review of sustainable transportation solutions: innovations, challenges, and future directions. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 21(1), 1440-1452. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.21.1.0173
15. [15] Caetano, T., Merven, B., Hartley, F., & Ahjum, F. (2017). Decarbonisation and the transport sector: a socio-economic analysis of transport sector futures in south africa. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, 28(4). https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3051/2017/v28i4a2945
16. [16] Colombo, C. (2023). Understanding the policy integration challenges of sustainable urban mobility in the context of rapid decarbonisation. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 14(3), 583-606. https://doi.org/10.1017/err.2023.62
17. [17] Dickason, X. (2023). Decarbonising transport in the european union. Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies, 15(1), 102-108. https://doi.org/10.30722/anzjes.vol15.iss1.17371
18. [18] Mellquist, A., Pirie, J., Smith, A., Stenning, J., Vanacore, E., & Williander, M. (2017). Decarbonising the swedish road transport sector. International Journal of Energy Production and Management, 2(3), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.2495/eq-v2-n3-251-262
19. [19] Ramli, N., Rahman, R., & Illias, R. (2019). Enhancement of isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol production yields in saccharomyces cerevisiae without genetic modification. Journal of Energy and Safety Technology (Jest), 1(2-2). https://doi.org/10.11113/jest.v1n2-2.26
20. [20] Parveen, S., Sharma, R., Bais, R., & Saini, R. (2022). Study on biodiesel production from datura innoxia and datura metel seed oils from western rajasthan, india. Ecology Environment and Conservation, 28(04), 1857-1862. https://doi.org/10.53550/eec.2022.v28i04.031
21. [21] Menezes, F., Cruz, G., Lopes, M., Nelson, D., Martins, T., & Laia, M. (2019). Evaluation of endoglucanase and β-glucosidase production by bacteria and yeasts isolated from an eucalyptus plantation in the cerrado of minas gerais. Ambiente E Agua - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science, 14(4), 1. https://doi.org/10.4136/ambi-agua.2324
22. [22] Lin, R. and Ren, J. (2020). Renewable energy and sustainable development. Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development, 6(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.21622/resd.2020.06.1.003
23. [23] Barke, A., Bley, T., Thies, C., Weckenborg, C., & Spengler, T. (2022). Are sustainable aviation fuels a viable option for decarbonizing air transport in europe? an environmental and economic sustainability assessment. Applied Sciences, 12(2), 597. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020597
24. [24] International Renewable Energy Agency, 2024. Renewable Energy Statistics 2024. (Accessed in: 25 October 2024) https://www.irena.org/Publications/2024/Jul/Renewable-energy-statistics-2024
25. [25] International Energy Agency, 2024. World Energy Outlook. (Accessed in: 25 October 2024) https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2024
26. [26] International Energy Agency, 2024.Towards Common Criteria for Sustainable Fuels. (Accessed in: 25 October 2024) https://www.iea.org/reports/towards-common-criteria-for-sustainable-fuels
27. [27] Al-Mahadin, A. and Mustafa, M. (2018). Utilizing fuel cell technology for dubai roads and transport authority (rta).. https://doi.org/10.1109/icaset.2018.8376784
28. [28] Srivastava, R., Nouseen, S., Chattopadhyay, J., Woi, P., Son, D., & Bastakoti, B. (2020). Recent advances in electrochemical water splitting and reduction of co2 into green fuels on 2d phosphorene‐based catalyst. Energy Technology, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.202000741
29. [29] Hasheminasab, H., Zolfani, S., Zavadskas, E., Kharrazi, M., & Škare, M. (2021). A circular economy model for fossil fuel sustainable decisions based on madm techniques. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 35(1), 564-582. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2021.1926305
30. [30] Lamb, J., Hjelme, D., & Lien, K. (2019). Carbohydrate yield and biomethane potential from enzymatically hydrolysed <i>saccharina latissima</i> and its industrial potential. Advances in Microbiology, 09(04), 359-371. https://doi.org/10.4236/aim.2019.94021
31. [31] Tambunan, H., Sitanggang, R., Mafruddin, M., Prasetyawan, O., Kensianesi, K., Istiqomah, I., … & Tanbar, F. (2023). Initial location selection of electric vehicles charging infrastructure in urban city through clustering algorithm. International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Ijece), 13(3), 3266. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v13i3.pp3266-3280
32. [32] Bergman, N. (2018). Impacts of the fossil fuel divestment movement: effects on finance, policy and public discourse. Sustainability, 10(7), 2529. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072529