Biofuels are a wide range of fuels, which are in some way derived from biomass. The term covers solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases. Biofuels are gaining increased public and scientific attention, driven by factors such as oil price spikes, the need for increased energy security, concern over greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and government subsidies.

The production and use of biofuels have entered a new era of global growth, experiencing acceleration in both the scale of the industry and the number of countries involved. Surging investment in biofuel production is being driven by a variety of factors, including the development of more efficient conversion technologies, the introduction of strong new government policies, and primarily, the rising price of oil. Underlying the commitment of an increasing number of governments to biofuel development is the desire to find new markets for farmers and their products and to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.