Biodiesel Fuel

Another alternative to oil being used is solar energy. Everyone knows that the sun is the most important source of energy to our

However, despite its many advantages biomass still has many disadvantages. Firstly it is not as efficient as fossil fuels, for example the ethanol produced for cars via biomass is not even close to the efficiency of petrol and does damage to engines over time. It also has the potential to harm the environment through increase of methane gases which are produced as a bi-product if animal and human waste is used. Biomass also requires a large distance away from residential areas in order to burn it and a large amount of fuel in comparison to other energy sources which can have dramatic effects if large portions of forests are cut down to provide lumber.1

Biomass energy is a renewable energy source from living or recently living plant and animal materials which can be used as fuel. There are many ways in which we could produce this energy such as heat and steam. Also, instead of leaving waste in landfills, we’re reusing that waste and converting it into usable power. Pros: 1. Renewable. 2. Dependency on Fossil Fuels is Reduced 3. Protects air quality 4. Improves forest health. Cons: 1. Not 100% clean. 2. Requires a lot of water. 3. Not as efficient as fossil fuels.

Bioenergy is a renewable energy which is obtained by combusting the biomass. It is also called ‘biomass energy’. Biomass is one of alternative sources, which consists of different materials such as trees, construction wood, sewage sludge, manure, and farm waste including cornhusks, peanut shells, leaves and so on (Ischenko et al, 2007). Ischenko et al (2007) claim that biomass releases less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel. In the other words, it helps to slow down the pace of global warming. Another advantage of it is turning the great amount of waste such as potato peels, used cooking oil, pig intestines into useful energy. So it can reduce the costs of

To solve the rigorous threat to earth from global warming, bio-fuels serve as the most feasible source of energy all over the world. The environmental and economical performance of bio-fuel as compared to fossil fuel was analyzed by full Life Cycle Analyses (LCA) in Spain. The Spanish government CIEMAT, carried out two LCA’s so as to compare ethanol-ethanol mixtures with gasoline, and biodiesel-biodiesel mixtures with fuel oil according to ISO 14040-43 standards, these standards evaluate energy and mass balance for two or more objects. It was concluded that carbon dioxide emission during utilization of bio-fuel are lower than fossil fuel and bio-fuel requires less primary energy to be processed than fossil fuels. Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association submitted the letter to the editor of The Gazette in which he marked that “On an environmental level, conventional ethanol is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 34% compared to petroleum, including hypothetical land use change emissions” (qtd. in renewable fuel association). As the raw material for

For over forty years now, scientists and researchers have been tirelessly searching for an alternative to fossil fuels. Biofuels have become an interesting contender in the search for the replacement of the non-renewable energy source. Biofuels have been used throughout history for over thousands of years. There is a large debate over biofuels and its true impact on the environment. Those involved in the discussion debating whether biofuels have any real overwhelming benefits compared to fossil fuels could argue for its usage. According to recent research performed by the University of Michigan, biofuels may not be the best alternative for fossil fuels. Regardless of its impact on the environment, biofuels are becoming more popular particularly when the price of oil rises.

Although burning biodiesel produce carbon dioxide, is does not contribute to global warming. This is because that amount of carbon dioxide that the growing plants take in during photosynthesis is the same as the amount of carbon dioxide that the diesel engine emits when it is burning the biodiesel. So there is no extra carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere. ( this makes happy who are against of using dieselfuels)

In the United States biofuel production has grown a lot over the last two decades. In 1995 production was at 500,000 gallons, by 2005 it was 75 million gallons, and by 2006 it was at 224 million gallons [Biofuels ‘13]. The main plant used in the United States biofuel production was the soybean [Biofuels ‘13]. Currently 4 percent of the world’s demand for primary energy comes from biofuels. The more popular and more well-known hydropower only provides 2 percent of the world’s primary energy demand [Maugeri ‘10]. Most modern cars can use up to a 10 percent biofuel mix in their engines without any modifications, though some cars called flex-fuel can use 100 percent biofuel or gasoline [Maugeri ‘10]. One big advantage to using biofuel is that it produces a higher octane rating than gasoline which helps improve engine performance [Maugeri ‘10]. Biofuels currently cost a little more to make compared to gasoline at about a ten to eight ratio respectively [Sanders ‘10]. Hopefully with more farms producing the components for making biofuels hydroponically it can help drive the price down to where it can be competitive with gasoline and one day completely replace it.

Since ethanol is a renewable source of energy and has lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than gasoline, ethanol produced from biomass is expected to be used more frequently as an alternative fuel.

The combustion cars burn hydrogen, and produce water vapor, which is non-polluting. In fuel cell conversion, hydrogen is turned into electricity through a fuel cell, which powers the engine. Fuel cell conversion is highly efficient. The only problem is the expensive cost of making a reliable fuel cell that would provide electric power in a hydrogen car. The cost of mining coal and oil is much more cheaper compared to the cost of making fuel cells. An article in usnews.com states, “an even bigger problem would be building a hydrogen infrastructure comparable to a gas station on every corner, which would cost billions”. As you can see, once again oil products have proven to be relatively less expensive.

The two most used alternative fuels for our transportation needs are bio diesel and ethanol. Ethanol is an alcohol produced from either sugar cane or a form of starch that’s mixed with gasoline that works just like gas, but produces lower carbon monoxide and sulfur oxide than just gasoline. Bio diesel is a fusion of vegetable oil, animal fat, and alcohol. Same as ethanol, bio-diesel can integrate with regular diesel so it can perform as if it was only diesel. Both these types of fuel are fully compliant with the vehicles we have currently today, but to reduce our use of fossil fuel, which we excessively capitalize on and begin using higher quality that provide more advantageous and fitting to our surroundings. Some will have uncertainty on what ways are these alternative fuels made from?

Henry Ford, in 1925, dubbed biofuels “the fuel of the future”. Today, Mr. Ford’s prediction is coming true because biofuels are proving to be one of the most promising sources of alternative energy. Biofuels are popular because they only release the CO2 that was collected during photosynthesis. They solve many of the problems that fossil fuels present: greenhouse gases, emissions, resource depletion, and foreign oil dependency. On the other hand, biofuel production has drawbacks such as resource requirements, air and groundwater pollution, and usage of space. The best material to invest in as a biofuel company is switchgrass lignocellulose, using the process of catalytic pyrolysis to better combat the fuel crisis.

Biomass is the use of organic matter to make electricity. Organic matter such as trees and plants are burned and heat water to create steam. The steam created from boiling water is used to turn turbines to create electricity. Biomass can also be used to create Methane which is used to create even more electricity.

Another "green" alternative energy source is biomass conversion. Two methods to obtain fuel from biomass, or organic material, are in use today: thermochemical conversion and biochemical conversion.

Unlike gasoline or diesel, biofuels release little pollution. It can also be used to produce electricity by heating water using biofuels and using the steam produced to rotate a turbine. Another method is to allow the biofuel to decay and produce methane. Methane is commonly used as fuel for car, heating, cooking, and producing electricity.