Biofuels: present and future

Biofuels represent a promising departure from conventional fossil fuels, presenting viable remedies for both energy security and environmental apprehensions. This review intricately examines the various realms of biofuels, encompassing their historical progression, present status, obstacles, and outlook. Commencing with an in-depth exploration of their historical antecedents and developmental milestones, this paper navigates through the spectrum of biofuel variants, encompassing first, second, and third-generation iterations. It meticulously scrutinizes the methodologies of production, advantages, limitations, and ecological implications associated with each variant, providing a nuanced comprehension seldom found in singular sources. A pivotal emphasis is placed on technological innovations propelling the biofuel industry’s advancement, shedding light on recent breakthroughs such as nanotechnologies and mathematical models in biofuel production. Moreover, the paper thoroughly assesses the current global landscape of biofuel production, dissecting the health, environmental, and socioeconomic ramifications of their utilization. The findings reveal that the field of biofuels is still developing and possesses a lot of opportunities toward environmental sustainability. Only a small part of the world is experiencing the production and utilization of biofuels, hence the need for its campaign to engulf the entire world. Also, most of the modern technologies identified in this work are on a laboratory basis and require the needed scalability skills for industrial production. Finally, this work of varied viewpoints seeks to serve as a significant scholarly resource for stakeholders, policymakers, academics, and professionals within the industry, offering insights to grasp and influence the trajectory of biofuels.