Biofuel
A liquid or gaseous fuel derived from biomass, such as ethanol, biodiesel or renewable diesel, used mainly in transport to replace petroleum fuels.
Biofuels are classified by feedstock and process:
- Conventional (first generation): ethanol from corn, sugarcane or wheat by fermentation; biodiesel (FAME) from rapeseed, soy or palm oil by transesterification.
- Advanced: hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO, renewable diesel) from waste oils and fats; cellulosic ethanol from straw or wood; fuels from gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
Global liquid biofuel use was about 4.3–4.5 EJ in 2024 (IEA), around 4% of transport energy. The United States and Brazil produce more than 80% of the world's ethanol; Brazil's sugarcane ethanol yields 6,000–7,500 L per hectare. Indonesia mandates a 40% palm biodiesel blend (B40).
Climate performance varies widely. Including direct effects, sugarcane ethanol and waste-oil HVO cut lifecycle emissions 60–90% against fossil fuel; corn ethanol typically 20–50%. Indirect land-use change can erase the benefit of crop-based fuels, particularly palm oil, which led the EU Renewable Energy Directive to cap food-crop biofuels at 7% of transport energy and phase out high-ILUC-risk feedstocks by 2030. See also sustainable aviation fuel.
Related terms
All terms →- Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
Drop-in jet fuel made from biomass, waste or captured carbon and hydrogen, certified to blend with fossil Jet A-1 and cut lifecycle emissions.
- Biomethane (RNG)
Biogas upgraded to more than 95% methane so that it meets natural gas quality standards and can be injected into the gas grid or used as vehicle fuel.
- E-fuels (power-to-X)
Synthetic fuels made from electrolytic hydrogen, sometimes combined with captured CO2 or nitrogen, such as e-methane, e-methanol, e-kerosene and e-ammonia.
- Lifecycle emissions
Total greenhouse gas emissions of a product or power source across its full life, from raw material extraction and manufacturing through operation to decommissioning.
- Well-to-wheel emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions of a vehicle from producing and delivering its energy (well-to-tank) plus using it in the vehicle (tank-to-wheel), per unit distance.