Biofuels generations

At the laboratory stage, they are produced from photosynthetic microorganisms (cyanobacteria, microalgae, etc.)

At the industrial roll-out stage or, in some cases, already marketed, they are produced without using resources that compete with human and animal food production

At the industrial stage, they are produced from plants rich in sugar (such as beet), starch (such as corn or wheat) or oil (such as rapeseed or soybean)

Third-generation biofuels

First-generation biofuels

Second-generation biofuels or advanced biofuels

biofuels generations

At the industrial roll-out stage or, in some cases, already marketed, they are produced without using resources that compete with human and animal food production, i.e., they are derived from waste cooking oils, forestry and agricultural waste or even general waste. European legislation and French national energy strategy prioritize the development of these biofuels. NB: their production may draw on resources used by other sectors producing bio-energies (forms of energy obtained from biological materials, such as wood energy). Their emergence requires governance concerning biomass usages.

Second-generation biofuels or advanced biofuels

At the industrial stage, they are produced from plants rich in sugar (such as beet), starch (such as corn or wheat) or oil (such as rapeseed or soybean). The first-generation biofuel industry developed in France following the oil crises for the purposes of ensuring energy independence. Today, some 30,000 people are employed in the sector. NB: the use of these types of resources can compete with food production or lead to land-use conflicts. Accordingly, it is strictly regulated

First-generation biofuels

also known as conventional biofuels or agrofuels

At the laboratory stage, they are produced from photosynthetic microorganisms (cyanobacteria, microalgae, etc.) NB: these are still a long way away from being an applicable solution today.

Third-generation biofuels

or algae fuels