Global usage of biofuels across regions

North America and Caribbean

Global usage is rising; a 2023 market report places biofuels at roughly 12% of road transport energy in North America. Where are biofuels used in the world? North America and the Caribbean are proving they’re more than a niche—ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel are moving fleets and ferries.

In North America, ethanol mainly comes from corn; biodiesel from soy; and renewable diesel from used cooking oil and other fats. Here’s a quick snapshot of the main channels:

• Ethanol blends such as E10 to E15 in gasoline pools
• Biodiesel from soybean oil and recycled fats
• Renewable diesel produced from waste lipids and vegetable oils

Across the Caribbean, biofuels power transport and generation. Sugarcane ethanol fuels buses on several islands, while biodiesel from palm or coconut oils trims imports and keeps lanes moving.

For South Africa, the pattern echoes a broader shift: feedstock choice becomes policy action, expanding where are biofuels used in the world.

Europe and Central Asia

Across Europe and Central Asia, biofuels are moving from niche to norm, with EU data showing roughly 8% of road transport energy flowing from biofuels in 2023. It’s a wild, policy-fueled journey where diverse feedstocks stretch from fields to fuels.

In Europe, the blend-forward approach leans on rapeseed and wheat ethanol, with biodiesel commonly drawn from rapeseed oil and recycled fats. Renewable diesel, born from used cooking oil, adds a circular pulse to the fleet.

• Rapeseed and wheat-based ethanol
• Rapeseed biodiesel and recycled fats
• Renewable diesel from used cooking oil and other waste lipids

In Central Asia, uptake remains modest but tinkering with biofuels grows. Some countries run pilots blending sunflower or cottonseed oils into diesel, while others explore grain-based ethanol for rural transport and energy security. As we ask where are biofuels used in the world, Central Asia tests sunflower-based biodiesel and grain-derived ethanol in pilot fleets.

Asia-Pacific

As we explore where are biofuels used in the world, Asia-Pacific reveals a mosaic of blends and pilots. Policy targets spur biodiesel, ethanol, and renewable diesel from a spectrum of feedstocks, lighting farms and fleets alike. For South Africa readers, the pattern echoes: waste streams become energy and trade flows lean toward resilience. I’ve watched the ports glow at dusk as used cooking oil pours into tanks, turning scraps into fuel that powers buses and ships.

Across the region, the map breathes with variety: biodiesel from used cooking oil and palm oil; ethanol from sugarcane and cassava; and pilots testing algae and lignocellulosic fuels for longer, cleaner journeys. I’ve stood in ports where biofuel tanks glitter like amphorae, signaling a future where cargo, fleets, and farms share a common energy language.

• Biodiesel from used cooking oil
• Biodiesel from palm oil
• Ethanol from sugarcane and cassava
• Advanced biofuels from non-food feedstocks

Latin America and Caribbean

Where are biofuels used in the world? In Latin America and the Caribbean, policy targets meet crops that thrive under sun. Brazil leads with sugarcane ethanol powering a sizable portion of transport, while several countries pursue soybean- and palm-based biodiesel and test advanced fuels in pilots.

• Ethanol from sugarcane in Brazil and parts of the region
• Biodiesel from soybean and palm oil in multiple markets
• Second-generation and other advanced fuels from bagasse and residues

These patterns reflect how Latin American momentum interfaces with global energy needs. For readers in South Africa, the linkage of farms, ports, and fleets in a common energy language is a reminder that local feedstocks can feed world markets without sacrificing resilience.

Africa and the Middle East

Across Africa and the Middle East, biofuels are not a distant lab project but a field-by-field story. The share of transport energy they supply remains modest, often under 5% in many markets, yet policy nudges and local feedstocks push momentum. The question where are biofuels used in the world finds tangible answers here, where crops and waste streams converge into power.

In South Africa, biodiesel from sunflower and canola blends with ethanol from sugarcane and maize in pilot corridors. Across Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt, jatropha, cassava, and used cooking oil drive small biodiesel and ethanol initiatives that stand beside longer-term ambitions.

In the Middle East, fleets lean on waste oil biodiesel, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE explore algae-based fuels and solar-to-liquid pilots. Taken together, these efforts show a mosaic—regional resilience meeting global energy needs without losing sight of local realities.