BIOFUELS
By Anton Antonio
October 8, 2015
What is
biofuel? Biofuel is a fuel derived
directly from living matter. In an
article I published on my blogsite last year (October 14, 2014), I only
mentioned biofuels. “It is noteworthy to
mention that there are two types of energy sources: (1) renewable and (2)
non-renewable. Renewable energy sources
are those provided by the sun, wind, water, BIOFUELS and other resources that
do not need a long period of time to be naturally produced. Non-renewable energy sources are those that
need 100 years or more before they are produced such as fossil fuel.” (Antonio,
2014) Now, however, in this article,
there will be more information on biofuels.
Please read this researched material…
“BIOFUEL:
ALTERNATIVE FUEL
Biofuel is a
variety of fuel created from organic materials, or biomass. Biomass simply refers to anything that is (or
was) at some point alive, particularly plants and animals. Biomass can come in the form of solid, gas,
or oil. Fuel made from these materials
is gaining more popularity by the day.
The reason for this is not just due to the fact that it is a cheaper
source of fuel, but because people are finally starting to realize the negative
impact that greenhouse gases and other emissions are causing to the environment
and the atmosphere. Now that individuals
are becoming more aware of the fact that the concentration of carbon dioxide is
rising rapidly and that the days are getting hotter and hotter, they are starting
to question what the future may hold for generations to come. Biofuel is created by using a fermentation
process. The process does vary depending
on the material used. For example,
bio-ethanol is produced by extracting carbohydrates from sugar or fruits,
whereas bio-diesel is produced by extracting oils from animal fats or
vegetables. Bio-diesel has become an
additive in regular diesel in some places, making it cheaper and a great way
for vehicles that run on diesel to travel without emitting too much carbon
dioxide. Ethanol, as mentioned before,
is also great when produced from biomass.
This allows cars that run on gasoline to travel without being too much
of a burden on the environment. The only
drawbacks with bio-ethanol and bio-diesel are: (1) The cost for the fuel may be
a bit more than regular fuel, depending on your relative location. The prices for this fuel can vary quite a
bit. For example a study done by the
University of California at Berkeley indicates that the Midwest states in the
U.S. (where the fuel would typically be produced) will be charged roughly 30
cents less than regular gasoline, whereas the west coast would be charged
roughly 35 cents more. (2) Another problem is that it is not as effective as
regular fuel. It doesn’t last as long,
which means you would have to fuel up more frequently. To sum up, this alternative fuel does in fact
appear to be a better solution for generations to come as it will help stop
climate change. The current problem,
however, is that consumers may not be ready to spend slightly more on biofuel
than regular fossil fuels. Ultimately,
it is really just a matter of time before it becomes more popular in the
market. It should also be mentioned that
algae fuel is another possible remedy to climate crisis.” --- Climate Change
Guide
Because of its
relative cost, market acceptance of biofuels seems to be the primary
problem. Additional to this would be the
fact that the technology in processing of biofuels has yet to be
perfected. But this does not defeat the
fact that biofuel is more environment friendly that regular fossil fuel. However, this may also put pressure on our
food chain and food security, so further research and development is needed to
ascertain the viability of biofuels.
Thoughts to
promote positive action…
(Please
visit, like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/
and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)
REFERENCES:
Antonio, A. C., (2014). “Sources of Energy”. Retrieved on October 8, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2014/10/sources-of-energy.html
Climate Change Guide, (2014). “Biofuel”.
Retrieved on September 27, 2015 from http://www.climate-change-guide.com/biofuel.html
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