Glycerol based automotive fuels from future biorefineries

After the energy crisis in the 1970s, considerable attention was focused on the development of alternate energy resources. At present, there is a renewed interest in biofuels due to increasing concerns about energy security and environmental pollution. One such biobased fuel that is being widely commercialized is biodiesel. With the increasing production of biodiesel a glut of glycerol has been created, causing market prices to plummet. This situation warrants finding alternative uses for glycerol. This study attempted to identify the possibility of blending glycerol and glycerol based co-products, such as propanediol and propanol with gasoline as oxygenates. The study revealed that there is a possibility to use glycerol and its derivatives with gasoline as an automotive fuel. Octane number and the heating value of different mixtures of gasoline, ethanol, and glycerol and its derivatives are presented.