Progresses in Waste Biomass derived Catalyst for Production of Biodiesel and Bioethanol: A Review

Due to the growing awareness regarding depletion of fossil fuels and increase in harmful emissions, efforts are being made to develop renewable green fuels viz. biodiesel and bioethanol from different waste/natural resources. This article enunciates that biomass derived catalysts has created a new essence in the field of biofuel production. As revealed from published literature, yield of biodiesel and bioethanol had been appreciable through application of the waste derived solid green catalysts. The environmentally benign catalysts demonstrate immense regeneration attributes coupled with superior catalytic properties. Thus, utilization of bio-waste for development of such promising heterogeneous green catalyst(s) or catalyst support(s) can substantially mitigate the problem of solid waste disposal and facilitate reduction of environmental pollution. This review article is based on critical assessments of different biomass supported catalysts in terms of their efficacy in biofuel synthesis from various biomass feedstocks under varying process conditions. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.