Biofuel is a generic term used to describe liquid (or gaseous) fuels produced from biomass.

How biofuels are used

Biofuels can be used as a substitute for, or additive to, petrol and diesel in various applications, ranging from vehicles and fishing fleets to boilers. The most commonly used biofuels are biodiesel and bioethanol.

In New Zealand, biodiesel is typically produced from tallow (a meat processing by-product) or waste cooking oil, while bioethanol is produced from whey (a dairy industry by-product).