...Biofuels are becoming an increasingly important alternative to traditional forms of energy Even though production of biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, is rapidly increasing, their contribution to total fuel consumption will remain limited. Biofuels are sources of energy produced directly or indirectly from organic material including animal waste and plant material. In order to be considered a biofuel, at least 80% of the fuel must be made from renewable materials. There are 3 main types of biofuels: ethanol, biodiesel and biojet fuel. Biofuels are considered to be renewable since they can be replaced as quickly as they are used however biofuels biofuel production requires the use of fossil fuels in the form of fertilizers, agrochemicals,...
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...Biomass & Biofuel Biomass & Biofuel: The Future Umaer Ahmed SBI4U-03 Badgery, J. 01/02/13 Biomass & Biofuel: The Future Biofuels are a recent development that has stemmed a great deal of research into the issue of alternative energy. The energy that we get from biofuels originally came from the sun. This solar energy was captured through photosynthesis by the plants used as feedstock (raw materials) for biofuel production, and stored in the plants’ cells. This energy-containing biomass is converted into biofuel through biochemical, chemical, and thermo chemical conversion processes. For example, ethanol, today’s largest volume of biofuel, is produced through a biochemical process. In this process, yeasts ferment sugar from starch and sugar crops into ethanol. Most ethanol is produced from sugar canes and cornstarch. Biochemical conversion techniques allow us to make use of more abundant “cellulosic” biomass sources such as grass, trees, and agricultural residues. A simpler chemical process used to produce a biofuel is the production of biodiesel. Biodiesel facilities start with vegetable oils, seed oils, or animal fats and reacts them with methanol/ethanol in the presence of a catalyst. Algae and plants can serve as a natural source of oil which refineries can convert into jet fuel or diesel fuel. Once the biomass has been converted into biofuel, the biofuel is used to...
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... Page 1 Renewable Energy Nathan Wenzel University of Phoenix Renewable Energy Page 2 “According to a new UN report, the global warming outlook is much worse than originally predicted, which is pretty bad, when they originally predicted it would destroy the planet.” (Jay Leno). Humans are creating a lot of damage to the planet’s environment, and if we don't do anything to prevent the carnage soon, the results could be disastrous. Most people have knowledge about global warming and believe it may be a sincere dilemma in the future. What most people don't know is that global warming is currently happening, and we are already experiencing some of what it is capable of doing. Knowing of the harmful effects of global warming, alternative energy sources need to be pursued. Finding and using alternative energy sources may be the only way to stop the increase of global warming. Global Warming is something that is greatly influenced by the energy crisis. Most of global energy production is produced from fossil fuel such as coal, oil and natural gas. The vast majority of fossil fuels generate energy which is used for many purposes for residential, transportation and industrial sectors. The rate of consumption of fossil fuels is higher than their formation and that lead to...
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...A RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD - FUELING THE FUTURE WITH BIOMASS Malathi.N I year MBA, School of Management Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore. ABSTRACT Concerns about the availability and long-term supply of petroleum-derived fuels have caused the search for alternative sources of energy. After a century of unprecedented growth in science, technology, and the economy, we now face tremendous challenges to our ability to fuel the future: a fluctuating oil price, a changing climate, and continued dependence on unreliable energy sources. These problems are increasingly personal, and the demand for solutions becomes increasingly urgent. The ultimate solutions will only come from fundamental innovations in science and technology. Liquid fuels will for some applications be necessary for an indefinite period of time. Therefore, defining relevant feedstocks, producing fuels from these feedstocks and the properties of these fuels are critical issues. The utilization of biomass resources assumes importance due to the soaring crude price and depleting reserves of fossil fuels coupled with the rising environmental concern. Ethanol derived from renewable ligno-cellulosic biomass of non-edible variety has been identified globally as the future solution for meeting the energy demand. Apart from fuel and energy, biomass can also be the source of large number of derivatives. Biomass can be used for fuels, power production, and products that would otherwise be made...
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...it seems as if it will not last much longer. This essay will highlight the growing importance of three alternatives of oil that may rise to prominence in the future: algae biofuel, nuclear energy, and hydroelectric power. The first alternative that will be discussed is algae biofuel. In essence algae biofuels are the same as normal fuels except that the components of the fuel are organic and biological rather than fossil fuel based. Production is caused through a series of chemical reactions and is nontoxic and renewable. Algae sources can be re-replaced through more farming. The standard production method consists of planting lots of algae pods and letting them interact with the sun and bacteria to create oil. (Howstuffworks) Although this method releases a lot of CO2 it is all taken back again through growing more algae. This is of the many advantages of algae biofuel. Firstly its production yield far surpasses that of other variations of organic biofuels. In this diagram it can be seen that compared to all the other variations of organic biofuels, algae based ones produce 15000 gallons which is a great deal more than the others. Because it produces so much oil per acre, algae biofuel production does not require a lot of land to produce a lot of oil. (Biofueldigest) Algae biofuel also...
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...statement given by Benjamin franklin. Biofuels are they as green as they claim to be? It is well said -yes this fuel has a component of BIO, but is biofuel well doing in meeting all its requirements? Hmm…a debatable topic. As context of my argument, I strongly argue that they are not eco-friendly-when completely relied upon. So what are Biofuels? A biofuel is a fuel that contains energy from geologically recent carbon fixation. These fuels are produced from living organisms. Examples of this carbon fixation occur in plants and microalgae. These fuels are made by a biomass conversion (biomass refers to recently living organisms, most often referring to plants or plant-derived materials). This biomass can be converted to convenient energy containing substances in three different ways: thermal, chemical and biochemical conversion. Biofuels have increased in popularity because of rising oil prices and the need for energy security. This biofuels are 1St and 2nd generation. 1st generation conatins ethanol, biodiesel, vegetable oil mostly. The second generation biofuels are mostly made from the lignocellulosic biomass or woody crops, agricultural residues or waste. Taking a brisk turn towards my argument, There are various social, economic, environmental and technical issues with biofuel production and use. These include: the population explosion, the "food vs fuel" debate, poverty reduction potential, carbon emissions levels, sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion...
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...Biofuels Environmental Sciences Essay Nowadays, as the problem of greenhouse gases emissions is getting more serious, Carbon-negative biofuels represent the first potentially huge assault on the problem, in ways that are already technically feasible and practicable (Mathews, 2008). Scientists are having their research on how to ease or solve these problems. The topic of biofuels is being more popular in the recent years because it has the most potential to be a significant source of energy. Biomass is providing a surprisingly large amount of the world’s energy – 10% of total global primary energy consumption (Energy Future Coalition, 2007). Advantages of biofuels Safety Biofuels are safe to handle and transport because they are biodegradable, much less toxic than even table salt (ten times), and have high flashpoints of about 300oF compared to gasoline and petroleum diesel fuel (diesel has a flash point of 125 F, for comparison) (Biodiesel Chemical Safety Data – Oxford University). Because of its safety, the number of incidence of severe vehicle fires can be reduced, and its safety making it to be one of the safest of all alternative fuels. Also, biofuels produce fewer by-products than conventional hydrocarbon based fuels after combustion or burning. The conventional hydrocarbon-based fuels will produced a greater output of some noxious by-product, for example, carbon monoxide. That means, biofuels could lead to less localized smog in urban centers (Charles et al). Energy...
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...that, “Algae growth is a natural occurrence in all waterbodies, with some lakes and ponds supporting larger algae populations than others. The rapid growth of algae is a contributing factor for mass cultivation without spending extra resources.” Some species of algae can double their mass within a day. In comparison to traditional fossil fuels and other biofuel sources such as soybeans, there are certain advantages to using algae. One of the major benefits of algae as biofuel is that many algae species, particularly the small species, can be used for the extraction of biofuel. Another advantage is that the yield of oil from algae is almost thirty times higher than the yield of oil from land crops. Marine water as well as wastewater can be used for mass cultivation of algae. Scientist Ningthoujam Sandhyarani states that, “Unlike fossil fuels, biofuel produced from algae are biodegradable, thus reducing the chances of environmental pollution. In case there is spillage of algal-based biofuel in water sources, there are no significant or harmful effects on the ecosystem.” In spite of the many benefits of algae as biofuel, there are some drawbacks. The performance of algal-based biodiesel is lower than...
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...Should the world use biofuels? In our rapidly changing world we have petroleum fuel that gives life to our whole society. We have two main options for fuel. On one hand, we have fossil fuels, which causes a great deal of pollution our planet and although we have plenty of fuel reserves now, this fuel is not renewable and will therefore be exhausted in the future. On the other hand，we have biofuels, renewable fuel that do not cause as much pollution; however, biofuels would require research, development and other changes in the established system. Biofuels would be a good alternative to fossil fuels, but require research and development. One reason biofuels should be used is that they are made from renewable plant material. Two examples of good possible sources of biofuel are kudzu and algae both of which can grow very quickly and are not used for the food of the human population. These two plants yield a great deal of renewable fuel that can replace the fossil fuels in use today. The ability to produce renewable fuel is an important faction into the why the world should use of biofuel as opposed to fossil fuel. The second reason that the world should use biofuel as opposed to fossil fuel is that they produce much less pollution in comparison to their fossil fuels counterparts. Fossil fuels release gases that have been formally trapped in the Earths crust; therefore, they cause much more pollution then biofuels, which do not release formally trapped gases but gases that were...
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...Biofuels are in no way capable of being a permanent solution to the fossil fuel crisis that is currently facing our country, and our planet. Corn is one of the most widely produced crops in the world, yet the ethanol produced still only accounts for small percentages of the fuel being used by drivers across the world. Most combustion engines are only equipped to handle a 15% ethanol rate. It would be ill-advised to even attempt to further incorporate Biofuels into the transportation industry beyond the point at which they are used now. Disregarding the logistical problems associated with increasing the use of biofuels, the production of Biofuels is much too inefficient, and any further use of them could potentially cause economic problems, in the form of corn based products being forced to raise their prices. Biofuels could never be a permanent solution to the oil issues currently facing our country, and our planet. Because of the amount of labor, energy usage, pesticides, petroleum based fungicides, cultivation, and fermentation costs, among other things, needed to produce Biofuels, the benefit barely outweighs the means used in production. The current corn-to-ethanol production models show that it is unethical to increase the use of Biofuels made from commercially grown crops. It would just not be cost effective enough to merit an increase in the use of biofuels, when there are more ethical ways in which to utilize the crops grown throughout the world, such as battling...
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...a classic example of the distribution problem of scarce resources. There is actually enough water in the world for everyone's needs, and it is not a resource that is ever 'used up' in the way that other resources can be consumed. The amount of water in the earth's water cycle - evaporating from the sea, then falling as precipitation over land - is constant, the problem is one of distribution - it is not always located where it is needed. Read more: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/nestle/sustainability-and-water/the-basic-economic-problem.html#ixzz1oPYHca55 Case Study of Biofuels and the poor Case Study: India Biofuel Policy and Potential in India Due to increased energy demand, India must import energy to meet current demand. There is potential for biofuels to leverage indigenous sources of inputs, potentially increasing income and opportunities in rural areas. Yet the development of a biofuel sector could increase staple food prices and increase...
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...of Biofuel Diane Claire Q. Bragais Jeanne Isabelle B. Bilasano Jessa C. Buendia Researchers Mr. Ronaldo C. Reyes Adviser Tabaco National High School Tabaco City INTRODUCTION We rely on coal, oil and gas (the fossil fuels) for over 80% of our current energy needs and by 2030, global energy consumption is projected to grow by 36% and demand for liquid transport fuels will have risen by some 16 million barrels more a day. With the world’s population projected to reach 8.3 billion by then, an additional 1.3 billion people will need energy. (BP Outlook, 2013) The Philippines, which has a population of over 94 million, has three million households which lack access to electricity. Some provinces only have electricity for several hours each day, while countless households on the country's more remote islands still rely on diesel-powered generators. Energy rates in the country remain among the highest in Asia, placing a heavy burden on the 26 percent of the population that lives below the poverty line. (Santos, 2013). These facts prove that energy crisis is indeed one of the serious issues that the world is facing now. As the world struggle with a growing demand for energy, government agencies and private groups say the answer to these power needs may lie in alternative sources. This is where biofuels can help; in the next two decades, biofuels are expected to provide some 20% (by energy) of the growth in fuel for road transport. (BP Outlook, 2013) Biofuels are...
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...BIO-FUELS With the rising need for development with sustenance, the importance of biofuels is rapidly creating a wave amongst the current manufacturers. Bio-fuel is presumed to be an innovative successor to the fast depleting non-renewable sources of energy. What is bio-fuel? A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through contemporary biological processes, such as agriculture and anaerobic digestion, rather than a fuel produced by geological processes such as those involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum, from prehistoric biological matter. The history of bio-fuels dates back to several centuries and had been discovered as a primitive resource much prior to the discovery of electricity and fossil fuel. They...
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...2012 2012 Dec 20th Dec 20th The Relationship between the Price of Petrol, Biofuels, and Food: a case for biofuels NCUK IFY BEIJING AOJI 6108 Jack (Ba-12-0023) The Relationship between the Price of Petrol, Biofuels, and Food: a case for biofuels NCUK IFY BEIJING AOJI 6108 Jack (Ba-12-0023) Contents Introduction 2 Key terms 2 Graph 1 supply and demand curve 3 Graph 2 food price since 1990 3 Graph 3 wheat future US 4 Main body 4 The influence of the price of petrol on biofuels in long-term 4 Graph 4 America bio-ethanol output 5 The subsequent effect on food price 5 Graph 5 percentage of main biofuel production country 5 Table 1 Wheat production and consumption 7 Discussion 9 Evaluation 9 Graph 6 China food price 10 Conclusion 11 References ...
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...Sarju Patel BC607 Assignment 7.1 Oil Producers vs. Oil Users Oil is a unique and finite commodity. Every person in the world is affected by oil and it plays a vital role within modern society. It has also been associated with conflict since the First World War. The importance of oil is such that nationals and ethnic groups are prepared to go to war for this commodity if necessary. As such, a unique set of economic circumstances and policy issues surround oil. These include oil’s links to industrialization, economic growth, the distribution of wealth, and global warming. Oil is vital to the functioning of the economy of individual countries as well as the global economy. It plays an essential role in transport systems (ground, air and sea), agriculture, chemicals, and the military. Thousands of products are made using oil including plastics, pesticides, paints, inks, synthetic fibers, solvents, medicines, and other vital everyday use products. The reality is that oil is all around us, even when it is not being used in vehicle or other transport engines. Since oil is a finite commodity, concerns about when the supply of oil will decline and run out is of paramount importance and concern. The world’s supply of readily accessible oil is declining simply because more oil is being extracted than being discovered. New technologies that gain access to reservoirs previously hard to access may extend the life of these reserves. However, demand for oil in developed...
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