Assessing the Critical Role of Advanced Biofuels in the African Transport Sector Transformation for a Sustainable Future

Abstract

Energy demand continues to rise due to rising population and hence, strong need arises for efficient and judicious utilization of clean and alternative energy sources in ensuring a sustainable future. Focussing on the transport sector, there has been a gradual transition from conventional fossil fuels which dominates the sector to not only first-generation biofuels but also advanced / higher-generation biofuels however, the uptake is very slow and minimal especially in the African continent. This paper targeted the assessment of crucial role or the potentialities and benefits of Advanced or higher generation Biofuels in the African transport sector in view of sustainability. The existing affairs of the continent’s energy utilization was looked in to with the vivid evaluation of the possible extent to which biomass could go in up-scaling the transport sector energy supply through the advanced biofuels in avoiding classes with food, coupled with the associated benefits covering the sustainability pillars. In the process, rigorous manual works were done added with aid from M.S EXCEL forecasting in projecting supplies as well as incorporating insightful thoughts from RETSCREEN Baseline. The analyses outputs reveal that for a 2013 baseline year, reduction of fossil-based oils by 50% and augmenting with 90% of the total un-edible biomass resource for higher generations biofuels leads to transport fuel energy increase by 64.16% with massive CO2 emission savings of 155MT; whereas on a 2030 projection scenario ensures transport fuel energy increase by 73.65% with a huge emission savings of 139MT. As a final point, it is evident that Africa could really transform its transport sector sustainably by efficiently and effectively harnessing its un-tapped biomass for advanced biofuels development without any impacts on food nor other possible challenges on process. However, a strong task is needed regarding setting up of appropriate course of actions by the decision makers in favor of such continental bloom at the transport sector level and its benefits.