What is biofuels ? by KingFISHER 2012/11/05 15:40
Biofuels have been around as long as cars have. At the start of the 20th century, Henry Ford planned to fuel his Model Ts with ethanol, and early diesel engines were shown to run on peanut oil.
But discoveries of huge petroleum deposits kept gasoline and diesel cheap for decades, and biofuels were largely forgotten. However, with the recent rise in oil prices, along with growing concern about global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels have been regaining popularity.
Gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels. But they are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years. Biofuels are similar, except that they're made from plants grown today.
Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation,ecent rise in oil prices, along with growing concern about global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels have been regaining popularity. Gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels. But they are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years. Biofuels are similar, except that they're made from plants grown today. Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation, and heat to break down the starches, sugars, and other molecules in plants. The leftover products are then refined to produce a fuel that cars can use.
Countries around the world are using various kinds of biofuels. For decades, Brazil has turned sugarcane into ethanol, and some cars there can run on pure ethanol rather than as additive to fossil fuels. And biodiesel a diesel-like fuel commonly made from palm oilis generally available in Europe.
Biofuels have been around as long as cars have. At the start of the 20th century, Henry Ford planned to fuel his Model Ts with ethanol, and early diesel engines were shown to run on peanut oil.
But discoveries of huge petroleum deposits kept gasoline and diesel cheap for decades, and biofuels were largely forgotten. However, with the recent rise in oil prices, along with growing concern about global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels have been regaining popularity.
Gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels. But they are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years. Biofuels are similar, except that they're made from plants grown today.
Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation,ecent rise in oil prices, along with growing concern about global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels have been regaining popularity. Gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels. But they are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years. Biofuels are similar, except that they're made from plants grown today. Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation, and heat to break down the starches, sugars, and other molecules in plants. The leftover products are then refined to produce a fuel that cars can use.
Countries around the world are using various kinds of biofuels. For decades, Brazil has turned sugarcane into ethanol, and some cars there can run on pure ethanol rather than as additive to fossil fuels. And biodiesel a diesel-like fuel commonly made from palm oilis generally available in Europe.
KingFISHER 2012/11/05 16:30
On the face of it, biofuels look likea great solution. Cars are a majorsource of atmospheric carbondioxide, the main greenhousegas that causes global warming.But since plants absorb carbondioxide as they grow, cropsgrown for biofuels should suckup about as much carbon dioxideas comes out of the tailpipes of cars that burn these fuels. And unlike underground oil reserves,biofuels are a renewable resource since we can always grow morecrops to turn into fuel.
On the face of it, biofuels look likea great solution. Cars are a majorsource of atmospheric carbondioxide, the main greenhousegas that causes global warming.But since plants absorb carbondioxide as they grow, cropsgrown for biofuels should suckup about as much carbon dioxideas comes out of the tailpipes of cars that burn these fuels. And unlike underground oil reserves,biofuels are a renewable resource since we can always grow morecrops to turn into fuel.
KingFISHER 2012/11/05 16:44
Unfortunately, it's not so simple.The process of growing the crops, making fertilizers and pesticides, and processing the plants intofuel consumes a lot of energy. It'sso much energy that there is debate about whether ethanol from corn actually provides more
energy than is required to growand process it. Also, becausemuch of the energy used inproduction comes from coal andnatural gas, biofuels don'treplace as much oil as they use.For the future, many think abetter way of making biofuelswill be from grasses and saplings, which contain more cellulose.Cellulose is the tough materialthat makes up plants' cell walls and most of the weight of a plantis cellulose. If cellulose can beturned into biofuel, it could bemore efficient than currentbiofuels, and emit less carbondioxide.
(Copy and pasted)
Unfortunately, it's not so simple.The process of growing the crops, making fertilizers and pesticides, and processing the plants intofuel consumes a lot of energy. It'sso much energy that there is debate about whether ethanol from corn actually provides more
energy than is required to growand process it. Also, becausemuch of the energy used inproduction comes from coal andnatural gas, biofuels don'treplace as much oil as they use.For the future, many think abetter way of making biofuelswill be from grasses and saplings, which contain more cellulose.Cellulose is the tough materialthat makes up plants' cell walls and most of the weight of a plantis cellulose. If cellulose can beturned into biofuel, it could bemore efficient than currentbiofuels, and emit less carbondioxide.
(Copy and pasted)
#77 Factual Zone
A forum for article style topics. Share your knowledge of nature, history, science & anything factual.