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＜Abstract＞Climate change is taking place due to emissions of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the
most important greenhouse gas. Photosynthetic organisms use solar energy to generate reducing
equivalents and incorporate atmospheric CO2 into organic
molecules. This helps in carbon sequestration. First generation biofuels -
ethanol and biodiesel are predominantly produced from corn kernels,
sugarcane or soybean oil, rape seed
oil, palm oil etc. During the last three decades the work was initiated on petro-crops followed
by researches on Jatropha at our
Energy Plantation Demonstration Project at University of Rajasthan, Jaipur
under various projects of Govt. of
India. However use of Jatropha or palm oil or soybean oil for biodiesel raised the controversy on
food vs fuel. Arguments were made that even if non edible oil yielding
crops are raised on wastelands the ecological balance including nutrient status and nutrient use efficiency was disturbed due to
cultivation of energy crops. These controversies paved way for the next generation biofuels.
Currently, cellulosic biofuels and
algal biodiesels are prominent biological approaches to sequester and convert
CO2. However
another biofuel feedstock, lignocelluloses—the most abundant biological
material on earth is being explored. Lignocelluloses is
everywhere—wheat straw, corn husks, prairie grass, discarded rice hulls or
trees. The race is on to optimize the technology that can produce biofuels
from lignocelluloses sources more efficiently—and biotech companies are in
the running. Second and third generation biofuels
require altering host material by metabolic engineering for entire product
and developing new enzyme systems.
Industrial application of biofuel inclusive of related bio products of
commercial value from fourth generation products is being adapted on large
scale.. Carbon captured in
cellulosic biofuels and algal
biodiesels are prominent biological approaches to sequester and convert CO2.
Lipid productivity of many algae greatly exceeds that of the best cellulosic
ethanol production. Another approach is direct conversion of CO2 to
fuels or chemicals. Next generation biofuels will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy independence, provide clean
environment and encourage rural
development.
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Ashwani
Kumar : E-mail:
ashwanikumar214@gmail.com ＜Dr Ashwani Kumar, Professor, Department of
Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, has earned gold medal in M.Sc, and
obtained Ph.D. from Rajasthan University. He also has the distinction of
being an Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow (Germany). He was the Honorary
Director at the School of Life Sciences, University of Rajasthan.
The author’s repertoire of published works spreads across 150 research
articles in various national and international journals. With an experience
of over three decades in his field of research, namely, tissue culture and
biochemistry the author was awarded V Puri medal recently. He has worked with Professor Katsuko
Komatsu at Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan and
Professor Dr Sven Schubert at IFZ Germany.
He is currently engaged in
research on salinity tolerance in
cereals and crops, biofuels and medicinal plants.
Kumar, was awarded Gold
Medal in 1967, Alexander von Humboldt
Fellowship (1977), full Professor of Botany
visting Professorship Japan , has collaborations with over 12 countries for research activities
in the field of plant biotechnology, physiology, bio-energy research, published 212 research articles, 8 books
including two with Springer, guided 37 students towards Ph.D. degree, carried
out 10 major research projects of Govt of India and Deutsche Forshung
Geminschaft . Former Head Department of Botany and Director Life Sciences,
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.Awarded V. Puri Medal by Indian Botanical Society of India.
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