What are biofuels?
Biofuels are a type of renewable fuel, usually found in liquid form, that have been distilled and produced from a variety of grains and animal fats. These elements, the base compounds for biofuels, are referred to as biomass, with the most popular being corn. Other forms of biomass can include barley, sugar cane, soybeans, canola, and other traditional row crops. The two most well-known biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is a clear alcohol that is virtually indistinguishable from the type of alcohol one finds in whiskey or beer. Its base is a pure grain alcohol, identical in content to homemade liquors such as the moonshine or white lightning produced in well-hidden stills during the era of American prohibition. As of 2009, ethanol is being used primarily as a federally mandated additive to gasoline. The stated purpose of ethanol production is to reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence upon both petroleum-based fuels and the countries that provide them. Howe
These are fuels derived from plants or animal fat that can replace such familiar oil-based transportation fuels as gasoline or diesel. Ethanol can be distilled from corn, sugarcane or even straw and other cellulosic plant materials such as wood chips or grasses. Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oil crops such as palm, soybeans or rapeseed, or animal fats and leftover restaurant grease. High oil prices, technological advances, concerns about energy security and the environment, and efforts to revitalize rural economies have all intersected to drive the biofuels boom. Ethanol has been used as a gasoline additive or stand-alone fuel in the United States and Brazil since the 1970s, but in recent years there has been an explosion of interest, resulting in substantial investment and steeply increased production. Biodiesel is relatively new in the U.S., but has attracted strong interest and investment as well. There are 113 ethanol plants producing today in the U.S., with a capacity of 5.
Biofuel (if cultivated, then also called agrofuel or agrifuel) can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel created by biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material. Biofuel is championed in America by Democrats. Biofuel can be theoretically produced from any (biological) carbon source. The most common by far is photosynthetic plants that capture solar energy. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture. Biofuels are used globally. Biofuel industries are expanding in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The most common use for biofuels is automotive transport (see Liquid fuels for transportation). Increased demand for biofuels, particularly in America and Europe has led to deforestation (see deforestation) and food shortages (see 2007-2008 world food price crisis ). This is increasingly making biofuels into a political issue throughout the world. Locations s
Biofuels are transportation fuels made from biomass through biochemical or thermochemical processes. These include ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, biocrude, and methane. These fuels are made by converting the energy in starches and cellulose into a form which can be used as a fuel. Agricultural products specifically grown for conversion to biofuels include corn and soybeans, though research is currently being conducted to improve technologies for the conversion of non-grain crops such as switchgrass and a variety of woody crops to biofuels. For more information, see the Office of the Biomass Program, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or the Alternative Fuels Data Center.
