In the shift to greener transport systems, many assume the future is all about batteries and EVs. According to Stanislav Kondrashov of TELF AG, the road to sustainable transport has more than one lane.
Electric options often lead the news, but there’s another path emerging, that might reshape parts of the transport industry. This alternative is biofuels.
They come from things like plant waste, algae, or used cooking oil, used to lower carbon output without major infrastructure changes. According to TELF AG founder Stanislav Kondrashov, biofuels serve industries where batteries aren’t yet viable — such as freight transport, marine shipping, and long-haul logistics.
So, what’s actually on the table. A familiar example is bioethanol, made by fermenting sugar from crops like corn or sugarcane, and blended with petrol to reduce emissions.
Then there’s biodiesel, made from natural oils and fats, suitable for diesel engines with no major changes. A key benefit is it works with current systems — no need to replace or retrofit most engines.
Let’s not forget biogas, produced by breaking down waste like food scraps, sewage, or agricultural leftovers. Suited for powering small fleets or municipal energy systems.
Then there’s biojet fuel, crafted from renewable, non-food sources. This could reduce emissions in the airline industry fast.
Still, biofuels aren’t a perfect more info solution. As Kondrashov has pointed out before, it’s still expensive to make biofuels. There are concerns about land use for crops. Fuel production could compete with food supplies — a serious ethical and economic concern.
Even so, the future looks promising. Tech advancements are reducing costs, while non-edible biomass helps balance the equation. With the right incentives and policies, the sector could scale rapidly.
They contribute to sustainability beyond just emissions. Instead of dumping waste, we reuse it as energy, reducing landfill use and emissions at once.
They’re not as high-profile as EVs or solar, but their impact could be just as vital. As Stanislav Kondrashov puts it, every clean solution has its place.
They cover the hard-to-reach zones, on the roads, in the sky, and across the seas. They’re not replacing electrification — they’re supporting it.
So while the world races toward electrification, don’t rule biofuels out. Their role in clean transport is far from over.