Sustainability aspects of biofuels
2008).
Biodiesel is based on the oil crops, such as rapeseed in Europe and soybean in the USA and
Brazil. In tropical regions, biodiesel feedstock can also be sourced from palm, coconut and
jatropha oils, but these are currently not major feedstock for biodiesel. Biodiesel is produced
by combining vegetable oil with an alcohol and a catalyst through a chemical process known
as transesterification (FAO, 2008).
Margit Tepner
k0848752
Figure 1. Proportion of global production of liquid biofuels (FO Licht, 2007). Biofuels
production is concentrated in three countries: Brazil, the USA, and Europe
On a global scale, there are three regions that produce biofuels: mainly France and Germany
in Europe, the USA, and Brazil. Each region specialises on a specific crop, and the
production technologies vary greatly. Biodiesel is concentrated in Europe and in 2005 France
and Germany supplied 69% of the global biodiesel
annaabi.ee 
