What are biofuels?
Biofuels are fuels derived from biomass. Today, biomass for energy production is most often associated with agricultural food crops like corn and sugarcane. When the starchy sugars in these food crops are fermented (meaning metabolized by yeast and bacteria) they produce high-energy alcohols like ethanol and butanol. These alcohols can be blended with gasoline or, with minor modifications to engine design, burned directly as fuel. (Some early studies suggest 100% butanol may even work in non-modified gas engines.) In the case of biodiesel, various chemical processes – sometimes involving fermentation – convert oily feedstocks like soybeans, algae and even old cooking grease into biodiesel which can be blended with conventional diesel fuel or, with minor (and, in some cases, no) engine modifications burned directly in diesel engines. But, the biomass needed for fermentation – the feedstock – is not only derived from food crops, but also increasingly from so-called energy crops such as s
• Biofuels are intended as an alternative to fossil fuels – oil, gas and coal. • Ethanol is distilled from corn and sugar and is used as a substitute for petrol. • Other crops such as soya, palm oil and rape seed are refined to produce a substitute for diesel. • Plant materials, wood, wood chippings and straw are classified as biomass which can be burned in power stations. • Biofuels offer a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fossil fuels. • The EU has a target for 2010 that 5.75% of transport fuels should come from biological sources, but the target is unlikely to be met. • The Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) means that all petrol sold in the UK has to include at least 2.5 per cent biofuels, rising to 5 per cent by 2010. Arguments for Biofuels: • They are regarded as cleaner and more sustainable at a time when oil is increasingly expensive. • They will help cut harmful emissions, reduce the impact of climate change and cut dependence on oil.
Biofuels are transportation fuels produced from biomass. Biofuels fall into two broad categories based on their feedstock and the process used to produce the finished product. First-generation biofuels are produced in two ways. One way is through the fermentation of either a starch-based food product, such as corn kernels, or a sugar-based food product, such as sugar cane, into ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, or “gasohol.” Another way is by processing vegetable oils, such as soy, rapeseed and palm, into biodiesel, a nonpetroleum-based diesel fuel. Second-generation, or “advanced,” biofuels, made from nonfood sources, hold significant promise as a low-carbon, renewable transportation fuel that can complement traditional petroleum-based fuels in meeting the world’s future energy needs. Research into this experimental process is focused on developing technologies that can convert cellulosic biomass, often regarded as a waste material, into transportation fuels. Examples of cellulosi
While ethanol and biodiesel are both biofuels (meaning they are derived from biomass), these fuels are made from different materials (or “feedstocks”), using different technology and processes in their production. » Biodiesel Biodiesel is typically produced from soy and oilseed crops (e.g., canola and mustard) or used cooking oils and waste animal fats. Biodiesel runs in all diesel engines without modification, and can be blended in any proportion with petrodiesel. The most commonly used blends are 5 percent (B5) and 20 percent (B20) biodiesel; however, several fleets have successfully run on full biodiesel (B100). Biodiesel, typically a B20 blend, is currently available in many regions of the state, including Portland, Bend, Eugene, Corvallis, Hood River, McMinnville and Medford. Many of Oregon’s large government fleets—City of Portland, Multnomah County and the State of Oregon—have been using B20 for several years. Portland’s diesel fleet currently runs on a blend of 50 percent biodi
Biofuels are biologically-based fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, and methane that can be used to run vehicles, heat buildings, or generate electricity. More broadly, biofuels also include biomass fuels such as wood chips, wood pellets, and a variety of fast growing trees, shrubs, and grasses such as switchgrass and bluestem.
