Biofuels vs. Fossil Fuels (David Ross, 2005)
Carbon dioxide, the chief byproduct of fossil fuel combustion, is a potent greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere indefinitely. In the U.S., the burning of coal for electricity pumps more than 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, according to the Energy Information Administration. People ask what about the cars? How do they affect the environment? The average American passenger car spits out 11,450 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. There are 246 million cars in the U.S. To cut down on carbon dioxide emissions, governments, car manufacturers and utility companies have been seriously pursuing alternative energy sources. Among the leading contenders are biofuels - renewable, clean-burning fuels made from plant- and animal-based source materials like corn, soybeans, discarded vegetable oil or animal fat. We hear a lot about biofuels and fossil fuels in the news, but sometimes the two terms can get tangled in our minds. Are fossil fuels really made from fossils? Can a regular car fill up on biofuels? Are there any clean-burning fossil fuels, like natural gas?.
6 Reasons to use biofuels (Drohilm, 2007)
Biofuels is a nickname to renewable fuels from biological source that can replace fuels that come from fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels can be easily produced from raw agricultural materials. These facts ensure that the reservoir of fuel will never
With the supply of fossil fuels steadily declining, gas and oil is becoming harder to harvest which means it is getting more expensive. Fossil fuels take millions of years to be naturally produced, yet each person burns gallons of gas per day (Maehlum par. 5). Though fossil fuels are produced naturally, when burned they release nitrogen oxides gases into the atmosphere, which contributes to the formation of smog and acid rain. According to the EPA, major sources of these nitrogen oxide emissions come from cars and trucks, coal-fire powered plants, large industrial operations, and ships and airplanes (EPA par 3). By reducing the number of gas powered cars on the road, we can reduce the amount of harmful chemicals we are releasing into our atmosphere.
However, it requires energy to fertilize, water, spray insecticides, and to harvest. Because of this energy that needs to be invested, biofuels indirectly cause more greenhouse gases than they capture.
Biofuels are fuels that are produced by a biological process. A biofuel is a mixture of organic substances that are used as fuel in an internal combustion engine. Derivative of biomass, organic matter originated in a biological process, spontaneous or provoked, usable as an energy source.
Fossil fuel plays leading role in upsetting environmental, economical and climate protection. Our earth is at catastrophic risk by the exploitation of fossil fuels. Therefore, pressure is on to find viable alternatives for energy to bring a stable, safe and clean revolution. In that case, bio-fuels make an attractive alternative for energy than fossil fuels. Various provocative questions need discussion that what are the attractive differences between both the fuels? Why fossil fuel dependence is to be actually minimized? What is the scope of bio-fuel for a safer world? How will bio-fuel benefit economically? Above all, It will be conferred that why bio-fuels are better than fossil fuels.
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.
Fossil fuels are a major source of energy in America and throughout the world. The three major fossil fuels are oil, natural gas, and coal. While these three fossil fuels account for most of the energy used in most countries and they are able to provide energy for places around the world at a cheap price, they also account for things like pollution and the climate changes. Each of the fossil fuels has a long process to be prepared for consumer use that causes many environmental problems. The major draw to using fossil fuels is the money that they generate for the economy. Fossil fuels have made people’s lives easier and more dependent on technology.
The biggest problem the United States faces today when we talk about becoming energy independent is replacing the gas we use to power our vehicles. When we talk about replacing gasoline as the fuel we use to power our vehicles, biomass, hydrogen, and fuel cells are the three most talked about alternatives. Biomass, which is organic material made from plants and animals, contains stored energy from the sun. Biomass in the form of bio fuels can be used to make the same products as those we make from fossil fuels. Its main advantages over fossil fuels are that bio fuels are better for the environment and can be produced right here in the United States. Although some experts complain that bio fuels release carbon
Claim of definition: Biofuels are energy sources made from living things, or the waste that living things produce and can be produced from a wide variety of sources such as sugars, starches, oil, and animal fats.
Fossil fuels have revolutionized our society and have swiftly gained a controlling interest in the lives of individuals and their lifestyles. Fossil fuels have grown to be one of the most profitable industries in the world due to their many purposes, however, not all purposes that are momentarily beneficial have proven to not be a threat to our planet
A biofuels is a fuel that is produced through biological processes, such as agriculture rather than a fuel produced by geological processes. Hence a biofuel is a fuel which is gained from the living matter. A biofuel is a hydrocarbon that is made from a living organism hence we humans end up using this to power something. In a short amount of time, if a hydrogen fuel is produced from organic matter hence this is known as a biofuel being produced. Biodiesel is an fuel which is similar to fossil diesel. Therefore biofuel is any fuel from which energy is gained through a process of biological carbon fixation. Biodiesel can be produced from vegetable oil, animal oil/fats and waste cooking oils. A well known process used to convert these oils
In the past nine years there have been major developments in the environmental regulations put forth by the United States government concerning fossil fuels. Petroleum, coal and natural gas have been used as the leading fossil fuels for both transportation and energy production. These fossil fuels are reasonably abundant and easy to extract from the earth; moreover, they are easily transported and combusted for energy. Most of the current infrastructure in place for energy production is designed to burn fossil fuels in order to produce electricity. Burning fossil fuels releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other gasses from combustion in the atmosphere results in a phenomenon called global warming.
Biofuels have been used as a source of energy for thousands of years. Wood was the first biofuel to be used as a means to create fires for cooking. Since that time we have discovered numerous ways to use them and the various forms of biofuels that are available for use. Presently our use of biofuels consists largely of additives to gasoline in the form of ethanol. Ethanol is found in almost all of our gasoline products today, in which about 10% is typically mixed as an additive. Some gas stations are now offering nearly pure ethanol fuel known as E85 which is 85% ethanol. This makes ethanol the most common biofuel used worldwide. In response to this, farmers around the world have increased biofuel plant production as a means to meet the new growing demand for it. As time goes on, more modern farming practices are expected to continue to increase the output at which farmers can grow corn and other ethanol producing plants thereby “fueling” the biofuel gas industry. With more resources available to use, ethanol will be an even cheaper additive than it is now.
Fossil fuels, the main fuel for firing power stations for electricity, heating homes, and providing fuel for transport, have been used for many years. Despite their relative inexpensiveness, fossil fuels have major drawbacks. They introduce a myriad of negative implications including environmental degradation, global warming, acid rain, health problems, and ecosystem destruction. Even though fossil fuels are cheaper today than renewable sources of energy, it is well worth spending the extra money on these more environmentally friendly types of energy. After all, who wants to live on an unhealthy planet?
practice. Earth’s temperature is rising, oceans are rising, polar ice caps are melting, Pacific waves are washing over some island nations, and extreme weather and heat waves are increasing. Alternatives to fossil fuels that pump carbon dioxide into the air seem hardly controversial. The controversy is about what can be done to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and how can we get it done. It is already too late, but how can we reduce the scale of the damage that is already upon us? The argument presented in some books, articles, and internet sources seems presented like some polite controversy with no clearly correct
Biofuel is a fuel that is made up of dead biological matter. This is how a biofuel is distinguished from a fossil fuel." In order to be considered as a biofuel, the fuel must contain over 80% renewable materials"(1). The organic matter (biomass) that makes up biofuel can be gotten from corn, soybeans or various other photosynthetic plants. The specific type of biofuel produced from grains is Ethanol, the other one who produced from mostly oil and fat is Biodiesel. Biomass is organic instruments made by plants and animals. It is contains stored energy from the sun. At the bottom of the food chain, plants merge with solar radiation through photosynthesis. They then change it into chemical energy in the form of glucose, or sugar.