The dramatic rise in oil prices seen in the last decade has also
enabled liquid biofuels to become cost-competitive with petro-
leum-based transportation fuels, and this has led to a surge in
research and production around the world. The three main types
of first generation biofuels used commercially are biodiesel
(bio-esters), ethanol, and biogas of which world wide large
quantities have been produced so far and for which the production
process is considered ‘established technology’. Biodiesel is a
substitute of diesel and is produced through transesterification of
vegetable oils, and residual oils and fats, with minor engine
modifications; it can serve as a full substitute as well. Bioethanol is
a substitute of gasoline and it is a full substitute for gasoline in so-
called flexi-fuel vehicles. It is derived from sugar or starch through
fermentation. Bioethanol can also serve as feedstock for ethyl
tertiary butyl ether (ETBE)which blendsmore easilywith gasoline.
Biogas, or biomethane, is a fuel that can be used in gasoline
vehicles with slight adaptations. It can be produced through
anaerobic digestion of liquid manure and other digestible feed-
stock. At present, biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas are produced
from commodities that are also used for food. The demands of
edibles oils are increasing trend, so it difficult to use the
agricultural food crop for biofuel production [22]. There are some
potential crops for biodiesel production, which can be taken up as
Industrial crop on unproductive lands. Such multipurpose uses
oilseeds crops can be introduced, so that the biomass produced by