Glossary
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Bagasse
Bagasse is sugarcane waste, currently used as a primary energy source for producing bioethanol.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is vegetable oil or animal fat-based diesel fuel.
Bioethanol
Bioethanol, or fuel ethanol, is a biofuel that is traditionally produced from the fermentation of starch or sugar crops such as wheat, sugar beet and sugar cane. Bioethanol can also be produced from other feedstocks, energy crops, such as sweet sorghum or switchgrass. This is known as advanced, or second generation, bioethanol. Bioethanol can be blended with petroleum for use in petroleum-engine vehicles.
Biofuel
The term biofuel applies to any solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel produced from organic (once-living) matter. The word biofuel covers a wide range of products, some of which are commercially available today, and some of which are still in research and development.
Biomass
Biomass to liquid (BTL): The process of converting biomass to liquid fuels.
Biomass
Biomass is biological and renewable material, including corn, sugar beet, sugar cane, wheat, rye, switchgrass, sweet sorghum, wood chips and oilseed crops, which can be converted into fuel.
Butanol
Though generally produced from fossil fuels, this four-carbon alcohol can also be produced through bacterial fermentation of alcohol.
By-product
A by-product is a substance, other than the principal product, generated as a consequence of creating ethanol. For example, a by-product of ethanol production is DDGS.
Catalyst
A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction, without being consumed or produced by the reaction. Enzymes are catalysts for many biochemical reactions.
Cellulose
Cellulose is the fibrous substance that is contained in leaves, stems, and stalks of plants and trees. It is the most abundant organic compound on earth and can be used to produce ethanol.
Co-product
See by-product.
Concentrated acid hydrolysis
Concentrated acid hydrolysis is a method of converting biomass into cellulosic ethanol.
Conventional biofuels
Conventional biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel are typically made from corn, sugarcane and beet, wheat or oilseed crops such as soy and rape.
DDGS
DDGS, or Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles is a by-product of dry mill ethanol production that is fed to livestock. It has a high protein content and can replace protein rich animal feed such as soy cake.
E85
E85 is a mix of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. E85 is a common bioethanol blend used in flex fuel vehicles.
Emissions
Emissions are classed as any waste substances released into the air or water.
Energy crops
Agricultural crops grown specifically for their energy value.
Enzyme
An enzyme is a protein or protein-based molecule that speeds up chemical reactions occurring in living things. Enzymes act as catalysts for a single reaction, converting a specific set of reactants into specific products.
ETBE
Ethyl tert-butyl ether is commonly used as an oxygenate gasoline additive in the production of gasoline from crude oil. ETBE offers equal benefits as fuel ethanol, while being technically and logistically less challenging.
Ethanol
A liquid produced from the fermentation of sugars in carbohydrates, derived from agricultural crops like corn and grains, wood, sugar beet and organic wastes.
Feedstock
A feedstock is any biomass resource destined for conversion to energy or ethanol production. For example, wheat is a feedstock for ethanol production.
Fermentation
Fermentation is a biochemical reaction that breaks down complex organic molecules (such as carbohydrates) into simpler materials (such as ethanol, carbon dioxide, and water). Bacteria or yeasts can ferment sugars to ethanol.
Flex fuel vehicles
Flex fuel vehicles, or FFVs, are vehicles that can use either E85 and/or petroleum interchangeably. In Brazil Flex Fuel cars can take up to 100% ethanol.
Fuel
A fuel is described as any material with one type of energy that can be converted to another usable energy.
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction that releases sugars, which are normally linked together in complex chains. In ethanol production, hydrolysis reactions are used to break down the cellulose and hemicellulose in the biomass.
Lignin
Lignin is an energy-rich material contained in biomass that has a high energy content.
Miscanthus
Miscanthus, or elephant grass, is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and southern Asia. The rapid growth, low mineral content and high biomass yield of Miscanthus makes it a favourite choice as an ethanol feedstock.
Nitrogen Oxides
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) are a product of photochemical reactions of nitric oxide in ambient air, and are one type of emission produces from fuels.
Octane number
The octane rating of a fuel is indicated on the pump. The higher the number, the slower the fuel burns. Ethanol typically adds two to three octane numbers when blended with ordinary petroleum - making it a cost-effective octane-enhancer to replace for example MTBE.
Palm oil
Palm oil is a form of vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree and is a widely used feedstock for biodiesel. The palm oil and palm kernel oil are composed of fatty acids, esterified with glycerol just like any ordinary fat. Palm oil is a widely used feedstock for traditional biodiesel production.
Petroleum
Petroleum refers to any petroleum-based substance comprising of a complex blend of hydrocarbons derived from crude oil through the process of separation, conversion, upgrading, and finishing, including motor fuel, jet oil, lubricants, petroleum solvents, and used oil.
Rapeseed
Rapeseed (Brassica napus), also known as rape, oilseed rape or (one particular artificial variety) canola, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). Rapeseed is a tradition feedstock used for biodiesel production.
RTFO
Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation or the RTFO, is a UK policy that places an obligation on fuel suppliers to ensure that a certain percentage of their aggregate sales is made up of biofuels. The effect of this will be to require 5% of all UK fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from a renewable source by 2010.
Second generation biofuels
Although definitions vary, second generation biofuels are usually considered to be biofuels produced from biomass or non-edible feedstocks.
Sugar beet
Sugar beet - is a cultivated plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar and ethanol production.
Switchgrass
Switchgrass is native to the US and known for its hardiness and rapid growth. It is often cited as a potentially abundant second generation feedstock for ethanol.
Vinasse
A byproduct of the sugar industry. Sugarcane or Sugar beet is processed to produce crystalline sugar, pulp and molasses. The latter are further processed by fermentation to ethanol, ascorbic acid or other products. After the removal of the desired product (alcohol, Ascorbic acid, etc.) the remaining material is called vinasse .
VOC
VOC or volatile organic compounds, are air pollutants found in engine exhaust. Ethanol helps reduce VOC emissions.
Wet mill
Wet mill -A wet mill is an ethanol production facility in which the corn is first soaked in water before processing. In addition to ethanol, wet mills have the ability to produce by-products such as industrial starch, food starch, high fructose corn syrup, gluten feed and corn oils.
Yeast
Yeast is any of various single-cell fungi capable of fermenting carbohydrates. Ethanol is produced by fermenting sugars with yeast.
