First-Generation Biofuels vs. Energy Security: An Overview of Biodiesel and Bioethanol

Energy agriculture is one of the ways of producing clean energy. Crop production constitutes the basis for the sustainable profitability of agriculture, and agricultural products are traded on two markets: the food market and the energy market. This article reviews the literature on the conditions influencing biofuel production, with the aim of identifying the arguments supporting its expansion and the challenges associated with large-scale production. The study employs quantitative and qualitative desk research methods, the method of deduction, analysis and synthesis, the comparative method, and the expert method. Widespread application of biofuels requires a broader range of non-food raw materials (such as lignocellulosic biomass) and the advancement of conversion technologies used in bioethanol and biodiesel production. The main goal of ecofriendly energy generation should be to increase the energy output while minimizing environmental impacts. The findings from the literature review were collected, identified, and described as objectively as possible. The conclusions drawn are based on the authors’ findings and expert opinions. The future of biofuels depends on the optimal choice of raw materials that ensure the highest production efficiency, low costs, and reduced emissions of harmful atmospheric pollutants. Thus, intensification of agricultural production of non-food crops (lignocellulosic biomass) for energy generation may lead to irreversible changes in the environment.