Biofuels are fuels that can be created when some biological materials decompose. They are primarily derived from plants, and can be formed as solids, liquids or gases.
Bio-fuels are different from fossil fuels in the following ways: 1. Fossil fuels take millions of years to make whereas bio-fuels can be made extremely fast, in a matter of days. 2. Fossil fuels generate huge amounts of pollution. Bio-fuels are comparatively safer. 3. Bio-fuels are renewable sources of energy unlike fossil fuels.
Bio-fuels have been categorized into four types: first generation, second generation, third generation, and fourth generation.
The first generation bio-fuels are derived from vegetable fats, starch, and sugar, which are in turn derived from food-crops. The first generation fuels are also derived from animal fats. Biogas, bio-diesel, and vegetable oil are some examples of this type of bio-fuels.
The 2nd generation of biofuels are derived from waste biomass. This would include oil, alcohols and diesels made from things such as felled trees.
The third generation comprises of bio-fuels derived from algae. Algae are farmed on large scales for creating these bio-fuels. The algae fuels are extremely environment-friendly as they can easily decompose into the soil without harming it.
The 4th generation of biofuels are those made from excretions of microorganisms. The microorganisms are farmed in large scale reactors and excrete chemicals that can be used as fuel.
Advantages of biofuels include: 1. They reduce the burden on fossil fuels which will one day run out. 2. They are eco-friendly, unlike many bio fuels, and will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 3. They can be very cost effective when used correctly.
Disadvantages of bio-fuels include: 1. Economists have long debated on the usefulness of first generation bio-fuels when compared to the food that could be grown instead. Generating fuel from food crops makes food crops unworthy of human consumption. Some people believe that being a higher priority than fuel, food should not be farmed for making fuels but for human consumption. 2. Making bio-fuels require acres of farming land, thus encroaching upon the natural habitat of plants and animals.
Would you like to learn more about renewable energy technologies? We are renewable energy experts and enthusiasts. See our site which is at RenewableEnergyAtHome.Com for more details and do-it-yourself renewable energy. For example, see how to build a wind power generator through this link right now.
wind power,turbines,electricity,energy,fuel,alternative energy,renewable energy,power,wind![]() PakistanToday.com.pk | Natural Gas Filling Stations: Few and Far Between Wall Street Journal It's the chicken and egg problem for alternative-fuel vehicles: Will there enough public refueling stations to justify buying the vehicles? For long distance trips, the answer currently is no for natural-gas vehicles. Only 992 US refueling stations ... Fill-In CNG Filling Stations Private, public entities saving thousands with CNG Milwaukee to start selling compressed natural gas |
Airlines for America (A4A) Lauds the Formation of Midwest Aviation Sustainable ... Sacramento Bee A4A is committed to the development and deployment of sustainable alternative fuels for use in jet aircraft. A4A co-founded and co-leads the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative® (CAAFI) and the Farm to Fly initiative, both of which are ... AVIATION AND CLEAN TECHNOLOGY LEADERS LAUNCH MIDWEST AVIATION SUSTAINABLE ... |
![]() RealVail | Pitched partisan battle being waged over military push for more renewable energy RealVail In response, Admiral Greenert wrote back (pdf) this week, saying attempts to obstruct the military's transition to alternative fuels “will impede America's energy security.” He referenced a May 16 statement from his superiors that lamented the House ... |
The Indianapolis 500 Spotlights the Potential of America's New Energy Reality MarketWatch (press release) INDIANAPOLIS, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In a recent report on the Indianapolis 500 and the feasibility of alternative fuels, Brent Schutte, Market Strategist for Harris Private Bank, writes about the promising future of natural gas ... |
![]() Bleacher Report | Indy 500 2012: First Alternative Fuel Race Is Huge Step for Motorsports Bleacher Report According to a press release on Market Watch, the IndyCar series will be using an alternative fuel this entire season for the first time ever: Brent Schutte, Market Strategist for Harris Private Bank, writes about the promising future of natural gas ... |