Renovare Fuels offers a sustainable fuel alternative for the aviation industry

 

Pandemic notwithstanding, the aviation industry is one of the biggest contributors to damaging CO2 emissions. Increasingly controversial, the aviation industry is under pressure to make significant changes to its impact on the environment.

According to the Air Transport Action Group, in 2019, the global aviation sector was responsible for approximately 915 million tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions. The total global CO2 emissions in that year was estimated at 43 billion tonnes, meaning that the aviation industry contributed 2%, this is too much.

How Renovare Fuels can help the aviation sector transition to greener tech

Since March 2020, air travel has experienced a considerable downturn. The global pandemic has slashed journeys by airline massively, but until COVID-19 hit, flight numbers were consistently increasing. And now that the vaccination rollouts are underway around the world, it’s likely that there will be a huge increase in the number of flights as the world returns to some kind of normality.

In terms of emissions, a study in 2019 by the International Council on Clean Transportation showed that air travel created 70% more emissions than anticipated by experts.

According to the UK Government, the move to green aviation is now a priority. And at Renovare Fuels, we believe that the answer to successful transitioning to sustainable air travel lies in carbon neutral liquid fuel. And while the world is preoccupied with the challenges presented by the pandemic, we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that sustainability is vital for the long-term viability of the aviation industry.

UK Government efforts towards aviation sustainability are ramping up

Recently, the Department for Transport (DfT)’s Net Zero Board announced that the Government will be focusing on international aviation sustainability. This will form part of the Government’s Net Zero Target over the coming years.

To boost the evolution and transformation of aviation, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) invested £400 million into research and development into green aerospace solutions and development of innovative technology.

There are a number of schemes and strategies available to airline companies that are trying to offset their carbon emissions. Many have already adopted some of the measures that the United Nations (UN) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation has offered. But the most important and impactful strategy is to incorporate biofuels into their fuel stocks.

Benefits of biofuels and liquid fuels from waste compared with fossil fuels

Traditional fuels, such as coal, petrol and natural gas, are all derived from finite fossil fuels. Biofuels, on the other hand, are derived from organic products, and can be produced from waste. There are so many benefits from the development and innovative research that has gone into biofuels over recent years. We now have the ability to create and manufacture biofuels from waste material and other sustainable material.

To qualify as a renewable energy source, a fuel must be easy to replenish. It can’t have a finite limit, in the way that fossil fuels have. If an energy source has a time limit on it and it’s possible to run out of it, then it can’t be categorised as a renewable energy source. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels can be replaced and replenished as often as necessary.

Other benefits of biofuels include the fact that they produce far less particulates when they’re burned. The relatively low levels of smoke and soot emitted means there are far fewer pollutants released into the atmosphere. One of the damaging emissions from fossil fuels is sulphur, which is the cause of acid rain, along with ozone and particulate matter.

Traditional biofuels bring their own challenges too. One of the downsides of the first generation of biofuels is the need for significant amounts of water in the production process. In fact, they need around 84 times the amount of water needed by fossil fuels. Developing countries are also losing vast tracts of farmland as it’s given over to biofuel production. This means that increasing the production of biofuels could feasibly threaten the global food supply.

Renovare Fuels converts waste gas to liquid fuel

Renovare Fuels looks to provide solutions, not only for the transformation to sustainable energy but also solving the problems caused by the initial generation of biofuels.

Because we generate and develop biofuels from biodegradable waste materials that are produced by industrial and agricultural sectors, we are bypassing the challenges of traditional biofuels. Renovare Fuels have developed a truly ground-breaking biofuel from waste materials, which means our production process doesn’t impact crop production or food security.

Renovare Fuels also actually removes carbon from the environment through its unique production system. This is because we utilise waste produced by other sectors. Our biofuel production creates a positive carbon footprint. And the company also offers a truly carbon neutral source of fuel for the aviation industry.

We intend to partner with airlines and airline companies that want to create sustainable supply chains. Renovare Fuels has generated a brand new generation of biofuels that could significantly impact the aviation industry and the wider global transport sector.

 

Organic Solar Cells Explained

Organic solar cells are a relatively new type of solar cell made from carbon materials rather than silicon at the core. Most projects for these types of cell are still in the development phase. However, they are attracting lots of incoming investment as researchers strive to deliver organic cells that can be produced at a relatively low cost while retaining high levels of efficiency.

Organic photovoltaics are made from organometallic compounds that have been dissolved in ink. They are then printed onto thin plastic rolls. The key advantage of these types of solar cells is their flexibility – once developed, they can be incorporated into soft, pliable materials such as clothing or wrapped around structures.

Duncan Clark, Nextgen Nano’s Director of Operations, forms a key part of a team that has been working on breakthrough solar power technology. The patented PolyPower® technology has several innovative qualities, including record efficiencies and unique physical properties. Cutting-edge nanotechnology is blended with environmentally friendly biopolymers to deliver a solar technology that can be used for multiple applications.

Efficiency

One of the main issues holding back organic PV solar power at present is efficiency. This is measured by the percentage of light energy that is converted within the cells into electrical energy. Silicon PVs have an average efficiency rate that is typically somewhere between 15% and 22%, with a record high of 27.3% set by Oxford PV in the UK in 2018. Most organic cells typically have a conversion rate of half the average for silicon cells.

According to the US Department of Energy, OPVs exhibit efficiencies of around 11% at their highest, whereas the most efficient solar panels constructed from crystalline silicon can have efficiencies of 22% or more. However, OPVs have many other advantages that make them a better option in certain cases, and the technology is improving all the time.

Flexibility

The flexibility of OPVs combined with their transparency means they can be fitted in areas where traditional solar cells would be impractical or too costly. OPVs can be used to create solar windows, or incorporated into clothing, aircraft wings or the roofs of electric vehicles.

OPVs also represent low cost in terms of both the environment and investment, making them a cost-efficient alternative in many cases. The true beauty of OPVs is that they can be fitted virtually anywhere, making energy generation possible on an unforeseen scale.

Advantages and Disadvantages

At present, the main disadvantages of OPVs compared to silicon-based solar cells are lower efficiency, strength. and stability. However, these types of cells are more flexible, lightweight and customisable on the molecular level, and are relatively cheap to fabricate.

OPVs can even be generated using printed electronics, driving costs down even further.

Structure

The structure of OPVs is similar to that of their silicon counterparts, in that thin layers of semi-conducting material are sandwiched with fine layers of electrodes, with a current-collecting electrode at the bottom and a clear glass layer at the top.

The main difference is not the structure but the materials – OPVs use carbon-based compounds printed into ultra-thin layers on a plastic backing, rather than silicon.

Organic solar cells are still in the testing and development phase for the most part, so price comparisons cannot yet be made. In terms of efficiency, silicon cells are still way ahead, but in terms of flexibility the OPVs win hands-down.

 

 

 

 

Managing Global Agricultural Waste

Urban migration coupled with rapid population growth have led to a global increase in demand for food. The growth of agriculture has naturally led to a corresponding growth in agricultural waste. This is particularly true in developing nations, where raw agricultural goods are typically transported to market, leading to a bulk of waste deposits building up at dumping grounds and in and around cities, homes, and slums. The management of agricultural waste is therefore a key issue around the globe.

Duncan Clark is Teysha Technologies’ Head of Business Operations. Teysha Technologies has developed a patented platform that can be used to generate usable biodegradable polymers which can be turned into multiple types of material, such as packaging and construction materials. This not only helps resolve the issue of agricultural waste; it can reduce the amount of non-biodegradable plastics being used and entering the world’s oceans.

Utilising Biomass Waste

A large percentage of the world’s agriculture takes place in southern Asiatic regions such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia are responsible for more than 90% of global palm oil production, causing more than 27 million tonnes of agricultural waste.

Also, in these regions, more than 34 million tonnes of bagasse and 38 million tonnes of rice husk are produced each year. Much of this waste product is either burned or left in fields to decompose, releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere. These same regions are also largely responsible for much of the plastic waste that enters the Earth’s oceans each year – as much as 60% of all global plastic waste comes from just five countries in Asia.

Implementing Teysha Technologies’ unique patented platform could provide a sustainable solution to both issues – reducing the amount of agricultural waste burned or left to decompose and providing an alternative to non-biodegradable plastics.

The Benefits of Utilising Agro-Industrial Waste

Agro-industrial waste can be left to rot or disposed of in ways that are ultimately harmful to humans and the wider environment. However, today there are several alterative solutions that reduce the level of waste by turning it into viable, usable products.

Residues from agricultural processes can be used to generate multiple useful products if the right technologies and techniques are implemented. These include creating biofuels, animal feed, antibiotics, vitamins, useful enzymes, and other chemicals. This helps to reduce the overall pollution load for the environment, minimise landfill and waste, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels for production in many other areas of business.

Biopolymers Vs. Petrochemicals

Large agricultural conglomerates could experience manifold benefits from embracing biopolymer technologies. They can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels as raw materials for petrochemical-based plastics, which contributes towards a more sustainable future.

Revenue streams can be increased through profiting from the vast streams of waste being produced. Plastic waste and other forms of pollution can also be drastically reduced.

The natural raw materials for biopolymers are starch and cellulose, which are abundant in agricultural waste from common crops such as corn, wheat, sugar bagasse, and tapioca. The polymers generated from these natural feedstocks not only reduce waste but can also biodegrade naturally at the end of their useful life.