Europe ne 2035 ke baad bhi traditional combustion engines ko continue karne ka option open rakha hai, or synthetic fuels ka bhi thoda sa door open hua hai. But honestly bolen toh synthetic fuel ka production abhi reality se kaafi door hai. And the truth is, Europe ki majority population itni expensive synthetic petrol afford hi nahi kar paayegi. Ye jo bolte hai ki large scale production se price down ho jaayega honestly, ye idea bilkul bhi practical nahi lagta.
Ab alternatives find karna important ho gaya hai, jaise biofuels, jo kaafi affordable hote hai. Biofuels develop karne par studies chal rahi hai, or saath hi ye bhi dekha ja raha hai ki kaunsa raw material, waste ya by products use kiye ja sakte hai. Is field mein latest big development Argentina se aaya hai, jahan Netherlands ki University of Groningen ke scientists ne National Unversity of Cuyo ke saath jointly yerba mate ke waste ko vegetable oil mein change kar diya hai, jo biofuel ke form par use ho sakta hai.
Image Source: Motor.es
Yerba mate waste that can be used as biofuels
Yerba mate ek kaafi popular herb hai jo South America ke kaafi countries mein Tea jaisa bana ke consume kiya jaata hai, or ye skin ke liye bhi kaafi beneficial hota hai. Ab tak iska jo industrial waste hota tha, wo mainly compost making ke kaam mein aata tha. But ab scientists ne iska ek new use discover kiya hai, fossil fuels or petroleum praducts ka ek alternative.
Interesting baat ye hai ki itni massive quantity mein jo yerba mate ka waste hota hai, usse sirf biofuel hi nahi, rather resins or renewable plastic tak develop ki ja sakti hai. Research team ke leader Martin Palazzolo ne kaha ki ye discovery to some extent us special process ki wajah se possible hui hai, jisme high temperature par, without oxygen ke, materials ko chemically break kiya jaata hai, jise special pyrolysis kehte hai.
Bio oil and plastic: Argentina has more uses than compost
Normally is process mein ek reactor use hota hai, but scientists ne isse lab level par develop kar liya hai or isko globally sabse prestigious scientific journal mein bhi properly document kiya gaya hai. Used yerba mate first ek basic process se proceed hota hai jismein caffeine or minerals jaise potassium, magnesium or iron separate kiye jaate hai. Uske baad jo rest of the material hota hai, usse high temperature (approx. 550°C tak) heat kiya jaata hai. Is process se 3 different products obtain hote hai: ek solid carbon jise biochar kehte hai, gases ka mixture (mainly CO₂, hydrogen or methane) jo biogas ke form par use ho sakta hai, or ek liquid product jise bio oil bolte hai.
Second option more promising lagta hai, because aise aromatic compounds hote hai jo petroleum se made hone walon ko replace kar sakte hai. Palazzolo ne bhi accept kiya ki bio oil par jo other treatments kiye jaate hai, wo bas usse refine karte hai so that kuch 'high potential' molecules mil sakein.
Ye cheezein renewable carbon provide karti hai, jisse aise products create kiye ja sakte hai jo normally petroleum se made hote hai, jaise plastics. Other than this, inko or process karke fragrances, resins or renewable fuels bhi create kiya ja sakte hai. Researcher ne ye bhi bataya ki pyrolysis se jo solid residue or gases milti hai, unhe bhi fuel ke form par use kiya ja sakta hai, but uske liye thoda zyada investment chahiye hota hai.