Essay Biodiesel vs. Ethanol

To present a counter argument on this issue, there are various advantages of using biofuels as well such as preserving the natural environment and saving the planet from harmful gaseous omissions. Ethanol,

Switching from the expensive oil to alternative fuels has moved from a dream to reality. Today, there are dozens of alternatives to oil that are currently available us to be used. One alternative to oil that is being used more today is ethanol. Derived from plant materials, ethanol can be a cheaper, cleaner alternative to the gasoline that our vehicles run off. When going to gas pumps, one will notice that much of the gasoline is up to 10 percent of ethanol. According to our text, most ethanol in the U.S. is made from corn, yet ethanol can be made from any biomes-- including garbage. (Turk & Bensel, 2011)

Ethanol is now found in most gasolines, except for the few and far between pumps that sell ethanol-free fuel. Ethanol acts as a “filler” in gasoline, because it is much cheaper than many gasoline components, however it comes at a price because ethanol infused gasoline procures about 33% less energy than ethanol free gasoline, dropping its competitiveness towards diesel even more. (Energy, 2015) Ethanol gasoline types include E10, E15, and E85. E10 represents gasoline with a 10% ethanol content, which is the norm now for most gasoline types, and what will mostly likely be in normal unleaded gasoline. E15, 15% ethanol, can only be used in flex-fuel or light duty cars because it produces not nearly enough power to run a large gasoline engine without major modifications. (Energy, 2015) E85, meaning that it is composed of 85% ethanol gasoline mixture (51-83% ethanol), and can only be used by special flex-fuel

That is because a kind of plant can be used to create ethanol, and animals do not use this plant as food. In other words, the amount of corn will not be reduced.

A report from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Information Administration detailed the most recent government statistics on national energy consumption, sources, and other information regarding energy production and usage. The primary purpose of the report is not to answer a specific question, but to provide accurate information on past and current economic and statistical usage of various forms of energy; including ethanol. The primary methods used for the findings lay within federal oversight of imports, energy companies, power plants, and other heavily regulated

Biofuels are biologically derived fuels obtained in a renewable way from organic waste. These organic remains usually come from sugar, wheat, corn or oilseeds. They all reduce the total volume of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere as they absorb it as they grow and emit virtually the same amount as conventional fuels when they burn, resulting in a closed cycle process. Biofuels are often mixed with other fuels in small proportions, 5 or 10%, providing a useful but limited reduction of greenhouse gases. In Europe and the United States, legislation has been in place requiring suppliers to mix biofuels to certain levels. This legislation has been copied by many other countries that believe that these fuels will help to improve the planet through the reduction of gases that produce the so-called 'Greenhouse Effect '.

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.

Utilizing ethanol as anti freeze in colder climates, will not freeze under freezing temperatures, meaning that it will remain clean for a longer period of time and that there is less stress on the engine and reduces the overall maintenance of an engine and the general carbon released into the atmosphere, which is also known as carbon footprint. Ethanol, like any alternative fuel, comes with some economical benefits. This energy sources use and production increases the demand and price for corn, which adds significantly to farm income the surrounding areas of ethanol plants. Increased economic activity and new jobs have resulted in high levels of income for American households due to ethanol. The production of this energy source puts an  approximate addition of four billion dollars into the bags of American consumers over the past few years. Overall, the full impact of the operations of ethanol and its construction industry adds tax revenue for the federal, state, and local governments during the past few

A good example of the use of ethanol is the mixtures of 85% ethanol to 15% gasoline used in flex fuel vehicles. Because ethanol is biodegradable and dissolves in water has been said that produces less carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide than the vehicle that runs entirely on gasoline.” Ethanol can be considered atmospheric carbon-neutral because the plants used to make fuel ethanol (such as corn and sugarcane, the two major feedstocks for fuel ethanol production) absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) as they grow and may offset the CO2 produced when ethanol is made and burned. In the United States, coal and natural gas are used as heat sources in the fermentation process to make fuel ethanol” (“Ethanol and the environment - energy explained, your guide to understanding energy - energy information administration,”

Nowadays, biofuels have become essential for future economic development and environmental protection. Primarily, their environment-friendliness and low carbon emissions are emphasized as the main advantages. However, in reality, few investigations were made to find out the disadvantages of such renewable alternative, and it may bring much more negative impacts than its advantages.

Well we all know that the energy system is very unstable because the total energy available on the earth is limited, and man has exploited all the conventional technologies to fulfill his needs. By the use of these conventional technologies, the world also has a disability, with problems such as global warming. Consumption of energy by man increased gradually as his wants also increase. The conventional energy resources mainly include fossil fuels, but research shows that this fuel source will be depleted completely in approximately 20-25 years. This could cause major setbacks around the world. As a result, we need an alternative source of fuel that could keep the world running on its wheel. One possibility is ethanol. Chemically extract

Professor Don Hofstrand at Iowa State University says "…a 100 million gallon ethanol biorefinery will reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions by approximately 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year." Although ethanol requires greenhouse gases to be emitted for production, ethanol fuel's net emissions are fifty-four percent less than gasoline. Half of the emissions related to producing ethanol are related to growing crops, while the other half is contributed to refining the fuel (Hofstrand). The burning and production of ethanol combined has a smaller carbon footprint than petroleum fuels. This makes it a good fuel substitution while even greener forms of energy are developed to power automobiles and machinery. Reduced greenhouse gases can help slow climate change.

In today’s society fossil fuels are becoming increasingly depended on even although they are limited. As decades have passed, the amount of fossil fuels consumed has increased per annum along with the population and our every growing need for energy. The planets reserve of fossil fuels is diminishing at a much faster rate than they are able to replenish themselves. This is why scientists have begun researching a more sustainable fuel source. Any fuel will have its benefits and its downsides but the rapid use of fossil fuels means it is vital to continue this research and develop a sustainable cost-efficient renewable fuel. In specific, scientist have been researching biofuels, renewable fuels that are yielded from living matter such as corn, sugar cane algae. Biofuel manufacture has been given more and more attention in previous years and some scientists are making substantial progress.

With the commercialization of bioenergy, it has provided an effective way to fight against the problem of petroleum scarce and the influence on environment. Today, fossil fuels take up 80% of the primary energy consumed in the world, which 32% is consumed by the transport sector.

Dry-mill, the more common and standardized of the two processes, utilizes the four basic processes of ethanol production, “clean corn is ground and mixed with water to form a mash… enzymes are added to convert starch to sugar… yeast is added to ferment… then distilled and dehydrated to create fuel-grade 99-percent ethanol” (Shapouri 2). The Wet-mill process commonly referred to as a “biorefinery” process approaches ethanol from a more atomic level. In Wet-mill ethanol production “grain must be separated into is components including starch, fiber, gluten, and germ” (Shapouri 2). Nevertheless Wet-mill production still uses the three processes above to create ethanol, the difference between Wet and Dry-mill is the quality of their byproduct. Through Dry-milling you avoid the complexity of multiply biochemical disseminations, which save energy and money through lower skill labor and lower tooling costs. However Wet-mill production makes more efficient use of mass and higher quality byproducts that will have greater market value. In the end the net cost of either method is variable, yet on the average the cost to produce a gallon of ethanol is less for Dry-milling than for Wet, yet when you consider the sale of extra byproducts this figure is reversed (SEE Table 2).