Biofuels are a sensible choice, expert says

Using biofuels as a sustainable energy source has been highlighted as an increasingly viable option by one industry expert.

Dr Phillip Westmoreland, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of the Institute for Computational Science and Engineering at North Carolina State University, noted his observations in a recent study on the subject.

"Biofuels are a sensible choice as a renewable energy source, but of course there are complications," he remarked, adding that businesses need to be aware of all the positives and negatives for each biofuel before using them.

The paper, co-authored by Dr Westmoreland, investigated chemical reactions resulting from burning various types of biofuels to assess environmental and health impacts.

It is hoped the document will facilitate the development of energy-efficient processes.

A recent analysis of biofuels published by research firm Companies and Markets showed the renewable resource is becoming more important in the European Union due to energy targets in place for 2020.