...Bio-fuels: a debatable topic A warm welcome to respected dignitaries and all the participants who are present here today, My name is Swaroop. I’m pursuing M.Sc (ag) extension. I remember that my grandfather used to quote “well done is better than well said” a 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...
Words: 1950 - Pages: 8
...New & Renewable Energy National Policy on Biofuels Block No. 14, C.G.O. Complex Lodhi Road New Delhi- 110003 Page 1 of 18 National Policy on Biofuels 1.0 1.1 PREAMBLE India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Development Objectives focus on economic growth, equity and human well being. Energy is a critical input for socio-economic development. The energy strategy of a country aims at efficiency and security and to provide access which being environment friendly and achievement of an optimum mix of primary resources for energy generation. Fossil fuels will continue to play a dominant role in the energy scenario in our country in the next few decades. However, conventional or fossil fuel resources are limited, non-renewable, polluting and, therefore, need to be used prudently. On the other hand, renewable energy resources are indigenous, non-polluting and virtually inexhaustible. India is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources. Therefore, their use should be encouraged in every possible way. 1.2 The crude oil price has been fluctuating in the world market and has increased significantly in the recent past, reaching a level of more than $ 140 per barrel. Such unforeseen escalation of crude oil prices is severely straining of the developing various economies the world over, particularly those countries. Petro-based oil meets about 95% of the requirement for transportation fuels, and the demand has been steadily rising. Provisional...
Words: 4245 - Pages: 17
...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...
Words: 2319 - Pages: 10
...Introduction Global environmental problems have become serious issues in previous decades, and global warming is the oneof them that people are aware of. It is widely accepted that global warming is caused by fossil fuels and therefore fossil fuels should be replaced with clean energy sources to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, energy demand today is much higher than ever before and it will increase by fifty percentages in the next 20 years according to Energy Information Agency (IEA) report. The main alternative energy sources to fossil fuel are biofuels which have received much attention worldwide and they have already generated 45% of all energy from natural fuels in Brazil.(Sims & Taylor, 2008) The most widely used biofuel is the first generation biofuel which is make from plants like sugarcane, oilseed. By using these kinds plants, ethanol and oil can be produced.(Ahmad, Mat Yasin, Derek, & Lim, 2011) In this essay, innovations in biofuels will be divided into 3 sectors with examples illustrated. 2. The Innovation Dimension 3.1 Innovation Type Innovation can be divided into four types: production innovation, process innovation, position innovation and paradigm innovation. (Tidd, Bessant, & Pavitt, 2005)In the biofuel sector, product innovation and process innovation are widely used. Product innovations are changes in the products which an organization offers. Process innovations are changes in the ways in which they...
Words: 2727 - Pages: 11
...Related to Rising Fuel Costs? ECO 550 Dr. Isley Mary Thomas March 19, 2011 Are the rising food costs related to rising fuel costs? Not only does the rising costs of fuel cause an increase in prices, but the use of some crops to make biofuels also drives the cost of food up. High crude oil prices have fueled interest in finding alternative energy sources and reducing dependency on import oil supplies. The emergence of biofuels has given rise to an alternative market for a number of agriculture commodities. Fossil fuel is a general term for buried combustible geologic deposits of organic materials formed from decayed plants and animals that have been converted to crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth’s crust over hundreds of millions of years. The burning of these fossil fuels is the largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide which is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Biofuels are transportation fuels like ethanol and biodiesel that are made from biomass materials. The fuels are usually blended with petroleum fuels, but can also be used alone. Using ethanol or biodiesel means we don’t burn quite as much fossil fuel. Biofuels are usually more...
Words: 2657 - Pages: 11
...commercial oil well in the United States was drilled in 1859. (Yergin, 7) These two fossil fuels were the power behind the American Industrial Revolution, and wealth behind Edward Berwind and John Rockefeller(Brinkley, 435), respectively, that continue to provide power and fuel in present day society. Natural gas is another fossil fuel that helps to provide for the needs of today. Oil, coal, and gas companies tout new technologies that make their products cleaner and safer for the environment. Opponents of fossil fuels say there is no way to burn them cleanly. Proponents for fossil fuels believe there are plenty of reserves to keep America running on fossil fuels for years to come. Advocates for newer technologies, “green” technologies, such as solar power, geothermal energy, and biofuels claim that the time to move on from these fossil fuels has arrived. The new energy sources claim to be renewable so as to never run out. (E.g., the sun would have to supernova for solar power to run out.) They believe the point of “Peak Oil”- the point at which worldwide oil production begins to decline, has already passed and the country will need their new technologies to keep pace during the changing of the energy guard. There are many lenses through which to look at the use of all these energy sources. The end of the debate as to which ones are best has no end in sight. A main focus of the fossil fuel debate is how safe they are for the environment. Coal mining is not easy on the land...
Words: 1818 - Pages: 8
...Fossil Fuel vs. Renewable Energy: Which is More Environmentally Safe? Cassandra Bohaychyk ENG-122 Professor Welsh June 23, 2013 Fossil Fuel vs. Renewable Energy: Which is More Economical and Environmentally Safe? While both have vital uses in the U.S, oil energy and renewable energy are pitted against each other as the main focuses of resources in the U.S environmental policy because each has an effect on the environment. Renewable energy is constant and can be found all over the nation, but may be costly in different ways. Fossil fuels may be a natural resource but are a one-time use that could eventually become obsolete, and could also be costly. Demonstrating in this research is a plethora of information leading to the outcome of the U.S environmental policy, and whether fossil fuels or renewable resources are best for the environment. Fossil Fuels include coal, petroleum (oil), and natural gas are concentrated organic compounds created from remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago formed into biomass. The refining and consumption of these resources have a massive impact on the environment and will eventually be exhausted. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), fossil fuels meet around 82% of U.S. energy demand. According to the Institute for Energy Research, oil is the “transportation fuel” that makes all modern modes of transportation possible and moves both people and goods around the world. Once the products of...
Words: 1761 - Pages: 8
...The issues of global climate change and global warming have attracted more and more concerns. It is commonly agreed that CO2 is the most important and critical anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). The predicted growth of global economy and world population in the near future will lead to an increased demand for energy [1], resulting in an even further increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration [2]. In recent years, the amount of CO2 liberated by the utilization of fossil fuels has been over 30 gigatonnes. Global GHG emissions have doubled since the early 1970s, and the emissions would double again by 2050 without appropriate and effective emission abatement. Although international attempts have been made to reduce CO2 generation by promoting...
Words: 816 - Pages: 4
...1. What are the key factors in determining if this is a viable business opportunity for Josh, Hannah and Matthew The first step that everyone should go through is to ask the question, is the market real? In order to do so, the first thing you want to do is conduct what we call a customer analysis. You can do that perhaps in a very technical way, by conducting surveys. Or perhaps, in a less technical way, you can attempt to answer the question, “Who is my customer?” What does the customer want to buy? When does the customer want to buy? What price is the customer willing to pay? So, asking the “W questions” — who, where, what, when — is the first step. At the end of the day, the one thing every entrepreneur is looking for is revenue, and the revenue will come from customers. That is why you need to ask yourself, is there a market here? The second thing you want to ask yourself is, who else is supplying that particular market? That is what we call competitor analysis. Ask yourself who else is in this market, and what are they doing for the customers. Are they supplying a similar substitute product or service as you have in mind? That is the second thing you have to establish, and by doing that, you can understand better what need is not met at the moment. That will also give you the opportunity to zero in on the price points and feature points of where you can differentiate yourself from existing players in the market. You also need to conduct a broader industry analysis to...
Words: 1992 - Pages: 8
...ASHFORD ENV 322 Entire Course For more course tutorials visit www.tutorialrank.com ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 1 DQ 1 Gaia Hypothesis ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 1 DQ 2 Energy and Food Supplies ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 1 Assignment Model Ecosystems ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 2 DQ 1 Energy Policy ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 2 DQ 2 Fossil Fuel Reserves ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 2 Outline for Final Paper ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 3 DQ 1 Nuclear Energy ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 3 DQ 2 Nuclear Waste Disposal ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 3 Assignment Non-renewable Energy Sources ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 4 DQ 1 Alternative Energy Sources and Your Local Ecosystem ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 4 DQ 2 Unorthodox Energy Sources ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 4 Assignments How Big Is Your Footprint ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 5 DQ 1 Energy Consumption ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 5 DQ 2 Voluntary vs. Regulatory Involvement ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 5 Final Paper. __________________________________________________________ ASHFORD ENV 322 Week 1 Assignment Model Ecosystems For more course tutorials visit www.tutorialrank.com Model Ecosystems. Review the virtual lab in Model Ecosystems. Within this laboratory exercise you will categorize various organisms into the correct tropic level for five different ecosystems. Once completed, you will calculate the amount of energy transferred between levels. Record your observations. Answer the journal questions and upload it as a Word document into the online course. __________________________________________________________ ...
Words: 904 - Pages: 4
...Economic Impacts of Going “Green” Mike Miller Economics 201 Professor Gary Reinke University of MD University College May 9, 2007 Abstract The U.S. economy is dependent upon nonrenewable fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) to thrive. Because of this, it faces big problems due to that economy failing and an environment that is being devastated by carbon emissions. This dependency has to stop. Consumer demands for greener products and services are putting increased pressure on businesses and the federal government to be the catalyst in ensuring the change efforts succeed and at the same time help to grow the economy. The environment has become a scarce resource and with that scarcity come impacts to the economy of the United States. According to Van Jones, founder and president of Green for All, two of the biggest problems facing the United States are “a failing economy and a devastated environment.” (Van Jones, 2008, pg 5). Focusing on how the environment is impacting the economy is key to getting on the right track toward solving these problems. The U.S. economy is dependent upon fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) to thrive. All of these fossil fuels, unfortunately, are nonrenewable resources that are in high demand by the American people. When you apply the laws of supply and demand into the equation, scarcity of resources with increasing demand means higher prices to consumers. Americans have...
Words: 2683 - Pages: 11
...Very dangerous tumor cells (what’s detected in screenings) Causes of cancer: 1. If there’s mutation in the Proto-oncogenes (tumor suppressor genes), which code for proteins and regulates mitosis… then there will definitely be problem with normal cell division. 2. Carcinogens are substances or physical agents that lead to development of cancer when body is exposed to them. 3. General mutations due to internal/external factors can cause cancer. a. Internal factors- errors in DNA replication; Free radicals; errors in protein synthesis b. External factors- Infectious agents (bacteria/viruses); pollution and chemicals in environment; Radiation (sun); medical treatment (chemo); Lifestyle factors (diet, tobacco) Benign vs. Malignant * Benign * Tumors that stay in one place (Don’t spread to other parts of body) * Can be removed usually, with surgery * Usually encapsulated * Maintains normal cell structure/function (size and shape) * Don’t come back in most cases * Cells don’t invade other tissue * Malignant * Tumors that DON’T stay in one place * More aggressive...
Words: 1486 - Pages: 6
...Course: BIOL 443 Professor: Dr. Owen Ward Introduction Global interests in biofuel production as a substitute for liquid transport fuel have grown substantially in recent years, mainly due to concerns over energy security and climate change (Yahya et al, 2012). The most common used biofuels are biodiesel and bio-ethanol, which can replace diesel and gasoline, respectively, with limited or no modifications of vehicle engines (Karthikeya, 2012). These first generation biofuels are typically extracted from food and oil crops including rapeseed oil, sugarcane, sugar beet and corn as well as vegetable oil and animal fats using traditional technologies (Brennan and Owende, 2009). However, the use of first generation biofuels have generated wide-scale criticisms, primarily due to raising competition with food production, increased water consumption, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, their low energy potential and their role in greenhouse gas emissions (Barbosa et al., 2011). A particular concern is that the demand for biofuels could place substantial additional pressure on the natural resources such as arable land. Currently, about 1% (14 million hectares) of the world’s available arable land is used for the production of biofuels, providing 1% of global transport fuels (Beal et al., 2012). However, with a fixed and possibly reducing amount to arable land, increasing the share of land devoted to biofuel production will have severe impact on world’s food supply as well as harmful...
Words: 2798 - Pages: 12
...Ecosystems. Review the virtual lab in Model Ecosystems. Within this laboratory exercise you will categorize various organisms into the correct trophic level for five different ecosystems. Once completed, you will calculate the amount of energy transferred between levels. Record your observations. Answer the journal questions and upload it as a Word document into the online course. Energy Policy. The U.S. Energy Policy is currently being reviewed and six main recommendations are listed, by Botkin and Keller (2011, p. 298). Discuss whether or not each recommendation will lead us to a sustainable society. Defend your position by discussing the benefits and drawbacks. Provide substantive evidence from outside sources if necessary. Fossil Fuel Reserves. Fossil fuels reserves are rapidly depleting in the United States. The...
Words: 1862 - Pages: 8
...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...
Words: 6384 - Pages: 26
