Oil crops in biofuel applications: South Africa gearing up for a bio-based economy
Abstract
Large fluctuations in crude oil prices and the diminishing oil
supply have left economies vulnerable to energy shortages thus placing
an enormous pressure on nations around the world to seriously consider
alternative renewable resources as feedstock in biofuel applications. Apart
from energy security reasons, biofuels offer other advantages over their
petroleum counterparts in that they contribute to the reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions and to sustainable development. Just a few decades
after discontinuing its large scale production of bioethanol for use as engine
fuel, South Africa (SA) is again on its way to resuscitating its biofuel
industry. Herein an overview is presented on South Africa’s oilseed and
biofuel production, biofuels industrial strategy, industry readiness, challenges
in switching to biofuels and the strategies to overcome potential
obstacles.