Challenges and considerations for planning toward sustainable biodiesel development in developing countries: Lessons from the Greater Mekong Subregion

Biodiesel has the potential to economically, socially, and environmentally benefit communities as well as countries, and to contribute toward their sustainable development. Nonetheless, the complex nature of biodiesel development makes it susceptible to exogenous problems that could hinder sustainable development. To ensure that biodiesel development actually leads to a sustainable path, all possible issues and challenges need to be identified and analyzed up front, so that they can be prepared for and handled in the planning and management stages. Building upon lessons learned from biodiesel developments in the Greater Mekong Subregion, this work examines biodiesel development in developing countries in the aspects of policy, governance, management, infrastructure, technology, feedstock, impacts on the rural poor and local livelihood, climate change, and the environment. Issues within each aspect are also analyzed in the context of developing countries. As a result, this review can serve as a guideline for ensuring that biodiesel development contributes toward sustainable development in developing countries.     

Electroless Ni-based coatings for biodiesel containers

Biodiesel commonly experiences oxidative and hydrolytic degradations, leading to problems of low storage stability and corrosion of fuel containers. The present study investigates the fabrication and use of electroless-deposited nickel alloys, containing phosphorus and tungsten, as potential coating materials that effectively protect steel-based biodiesel containers from corrosion. Through long-term static immersion and high-temperature oxidation tests, coupled with surface analyses of the coatings and assessments of the biodiesel’s acidity and storage stability, it is determined that a nickel coating with 15 wt% of phosphorus is favorably compatible with biodiesel, both in terms of corrosion protection and fuel stability.     

Influence of alcohol addition on properties of bio-oil produced from fast pyrolysis of eucalyptus bark in a free-fall reactor

Fast pyrolysis of eucalyptus bark was carried out in a free-fall pyrolysis unit at different temperatures ranging from 400 to 550 °C to produce bio-oil, char and gas. The bio-oil produced at optimum temperature was mixed with alcohols with an aim to improve its properties. The results showed that the maximum bio-oil yield of 64.65 wt% on dry biomass basis could be obtained at the pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C. The addition of a small proportion (2.5–10%) of alcohol into the bio-oil could improve its viscosity, stability and heating value. These effects were further enhanced when increasing the alcohol.     

Investigation of electrodeposited Ni-based coatings for biodiesel storage

Biodiesel commonly experiences oxidative and hydrolytic degradation, leading to problems of low storage stability and corrosion of fuel containers. This study investigates the fabrication and use of electrodeposited nickel and nickel–tungsten alloys as potential coating materials that effectively protect steel-based biodiesel containers from corrosion. Through long-term static immersion, surface analyses of the coatings, and assessments of the biodiesel’s acidity, it is determined that the electrodeposited nickel is well compatible with biodiesel, whereas the addition of tungsten deteriorates the corrosion resistance of nickel. Tight control of the tungsten content in nickel deposits is required to enhance both mechanical integrity and corrosion resistance of the deposits exposed to biodiesel environments.