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Henry Ford Research Paper

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Switching to Switchgrass
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. …show more content…

Whale oil was also extensively used in the 1700’s and 1800’s, and was the fuel of choice for many homes around the world. Then, in 1828, the first internal combustion engine to be patented in the U.S. was designed to run on a blend of ethanol and turpentine. However, while fossil fuels became popular because of their low cost and abundance of materials, the sales of biofuels dropped. Luckily, during World War I, there was a shortage of fossil fuels, and it was discovered that ethanol could be mixed with gasoline to produce a usable fuel source. More recently, the United States also became interested in biofuels during the 1973 and 1979 oil embargoes, when petroleum prices rose dramatically. In May 2009, President Obama established the Biofuels Interagency Working Group. This interagency approach accelerated the investment in biofuels. As a company, we must make the next step in the progression of …show more content…

On the other hand, switchgrass combustion can release sulfur dioxide which can cause acid rain (Qin et al.18). Switchgrass also has an incredible good EROEI of 5.4 (Kogel), and is a sustainable crop that can be grown continuously. In terms of land, a farmer would have to plant 342 acres producing 0.5 tons of dry mass per acre per day to meet the required revenue (Mitchell et al., 2008). Also, switchgrass is feasible in drought, flood, and other harsh conditions. Overall, switchgrass provides incredible economic and environmental benefits. Therefore, we recommend

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