International overview on waste to biofuel options with a focsu on waste potentials in Germany and funding incentives in the EC

Biofuels represent a possibility to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the transport
sector. In this context the sustainability of biofuels, especially so called 1st generation biofuels led to
controversial discussions in the past. Biofuels from waste and residues represent a well suited but
quantitative limited alternative due to their sustainability. At an international level, different
approaches for converting waste and residues into biofuels can be found. Developing countries in
general use classic transesterification of waste fats to produce biodiesel. Technically advanced
options such as pyrolysis, gasification, Fischer-Tropsch-Diesel, anaerobic fermentation and
distillation, as well as biogas production coupled with biomethane upgrading, are mostly found in
industrialized countries. Within this study, different waste to biofuel options are reviewed ranging
from small scale to industrial scale and take into account used raw materials, technological
application and (potential) GHG-reduction. Further the potential of several wastes and residues for
gasification processes and synthesis of biofuels in Germany is described. Biofuel from waste offers
promising funding incentives because of the “double counting” according to 2009/28/EC and the
switch in mandatory blending from an amount based quota to a GHG-based blending quota in 2015.