Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions

Zeki Yılbaşı ()
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Zeki Yılbaşı: Department of Automotive Technology, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat 66200, Türkiye

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-62

Abstract: The imperative to decarbonize global energy systems and enhance energy security necessitates a transition towards ecofuels, broadly classified as biofuels, waste-derived fuels, and electrofuels (e-Fuels). The primary goal of this review is to provide a holistic and comparative evaluation of these three pivotal ecofuel pillars under a unified framework, identifying their strategic niches in the energy transition by critically assessing their interconnected technical, economic, and policy challenges. It offers a comparative dissection of inherent resource constraints, spanning biomass availability, the immense scale of renewable electricity required for e-Fuels, sustainable carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sourcing, and the complexities of utilizing non-biodegradable wastes, identifying that true feedstock sustainability and holistic lifecycle management are paramount, cross-cutting limitations for all pathways. This review critically highlights how the current global reliance on fossil fuels for electricity production (approx. 60%) and the upstream emissions embodied in renewable energy infrastructure challenge the climate neutrality claims of ecofuels, particularly e-Fuels, underscoring the necessity for comprehensive well-to-wheels (WtW) lifecycle assessments (LCAs) over simpler tank-to-wheels (TtW) approaches. This perspective is crucial as emerging regulations demand significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions (70–100%) compared to fossil fuels. Ultimately, this synthesis argues for a nuanced, technologically neutral deployment strategy, prioritizing specific ecofuels for hard-to-abate sectors, and underscores the urgent need for stable, long-term policies coupled with robust and transparent LCA methodologies to guide a truly sustainable energy transition.

Keywords: ecofuels; biofuels; e-fuels; renewable energy; waste-to-fuel; decarbonization; energy policy; lifecycle assessment; sustainable feedstocks; energy transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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