Feb. 5, 2007. Biofuels refer to fuels made from plant materials. In general, biofuels can be a reliable energy source if they are produced and used in a responsible and sustainable manner. Biofuels costs are affected by these fluctuations, so when the price of fossil fuels is high, biofuels can be more cost-competitive. Consumers living in a low-producing region would need to have biofuel trucked or piped to them, increasing both cost and the amount of emissions produced in production and transport [source: Pimentel]. Nevertheless, in 2012 Edmonton will host a chemical plant owned by Enerkem that will turn garbage into 36 million liters of ethanol and methanol per year. Uses land that could be used to grow food. In 2013 Enerkem plans to open a plant there, too, with the help of $130 million in taxpayer funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy. The production, distribution, and use of biofuels can create jobs in a variety of sectors that will support the production and use of this sustainable alternative. In theory, this seems to be a great way to keep up with the demand for biofuel crops. The generation of biofuels, a priori, represents several advantages over obtaining fossil fuels used to get fossil energy.The main advantage is that the regeneration of resources does not take millions of years as it happens with coal, oil, or natural gas.. Home > Renewable Energy > Biofuels Advantages and Disadvantages in 2022. However, most of these crops are also accepted as food products. But in cases that seem as much science fiction as they are scientific fact, genetically modified crops have accidentally developed unintended -- and sometimes dangerous -- traits. Biofuel is commonly advocated as a cost-effective and environmentally benign alternative to petroleum and other fossil fuels, particularly within the context of rising petroleum prices and increased concern over the contributions made by fossil fuels to global warming. To meet the increasing demand for biofuels, farmers may convert natural habitats, such as forests and grasslands, into croplands. The oil in their grains is pressed out, filtered, and reformed to fuel by a chemical process. Many of the studies show that the machinery used to cultivate crops emits large quantities of carbon emissions. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Matt Cunningham Being forced to import oil creates problems for their economy. Because of the higher gel point of many biodiesel producing oils than petroleum, it is difficult, if not impossible, to start a biodiesel engine in cold weather. Biofuels are an alternative to fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal). 2. "Preventing Pollution Problems from Lawn and Garden Fertilizers." Given the expense of converting this mix of dirt and heavy oils to more usable petroleum products, the province is not keen on alternative fuels. Growing demand for food-biofuel crops may have a positive result for crop producers due to higher prices for their products. The production of biofuels can in some cases compete with food production in several ways. As a renewable energy source, plant-based biofuels in principle make little net contribution to global warming and climate change; the carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) that enters the air during combustion will have been removed from the air earlier as growing plants engage in photosynthesis. During their combustion in furnaces and boilers, they produce heat just like fossil fuels do. So, it could be a threat to food security or access to adequate nutritious food for the population. This isn't the selective breeding that farmers have practiced for years; genetically modified crops are altered in the lab to tolerate herbicides better, fight off pests or produce higher yields. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e12d729352bd1 Except providing new livelihood opportunities for local families, they could also represent a sustainable and innovative option that will contribute to rural development. Biofuels are a more. This one relates to the little multicolored maps on the backs of seed packets. Despite the development of various technologies for converting waste tires into biofuels, there is a need for more cost-effective and efficient methods that can be scaled up for commercial production. In addition, energy crops grown for biofuel can compete for the worlds natural habitats. This difference affects the viability of the oil as fuel. A number of existing power facilities burn grass, wood, or other kinds of biomass. Lower carbon emissions make them a safer alternative to preserve atmospheric quality and lower air pollution. A number of manufacturers sell components for biodiesel and greasecar conversions, and intrepid tinkerers often find ways to overcome the gelling problem. The production of biofuels often leads to land use changes, such as the conversion of natural habitats to cropland. Ask any grade-school student what a plant needs to grow, and he or she will likely mention two things: https://science.howstuffworks.com/sun.htm. Because of the higher-than-petroleum gel point of many biodiesel-producing oils, a biodiesel engine can be difficult -- if not impossible -- to start in cold weather. It also prevents crop rotation and in turn prevents the soil from recovery from nutritional depletion. Biofuels Disadvantages There are some complicating aspects about disadvantages of biofuels that we should look at. Biofuels are less suitable for application in low temperatures. The best road tax-exempt cars to buyFor now, biofuel is . Compared with making ethanol from crops, the environmental benefits of making it from waste are clear: It diminishes the demand for landfills and cuts greenhouse gas emissions. Or how animal fats, like whale oils, were used extensively in the 17th century to fuel lamps. Because biofuels can be produced from renewable resources, they bring less pollution to the planet. Drivers of vehicles using these fuels often have heating units installed to keep the fuel tank and lines free from gelled fuel, or install dual-fuel systems that flush the engine with petroleum diesel on start-up and shut-down. Biofuels are renewable. #1 Land use changes and land grabbing Updates? Biofuel Disadvantage : Environmental Impact. These factors are mainly taken into account under the section of disadvantages and will help you understand the complexity of the situation when it comes to finding new energy sources that would replace fossil fuels entirely. There are four generations of biofuels based on how they are made. As an alternative source of energy obtained from renewable and biological material, these fuels can be produced using waste materials. Biofuels have some advantages over their counterparts. This difference has an effect on the oils' viability as fuel. Drivers of vehicles who use these fuels usually have to install heating units to protect the fuel tank and lines free from gelled fuel or dual-fuel mechanisms flushing the engine with petroleum diesel during start-up and shut-down. On the other hand, burning garbage produces air pollution and releases the chemicals and substances in the waste into the air. Biofuels are also used with success for heating buildings. But that price quickly reaches consumers. Many biofuel crops are applied to produce biodiesel. Biofuels are compatible with current engine designs and work very well in most conditions. Easy Guide to Cooling Tower Efficiency & How To Increase it, Parts of Boiler and Their Function in the Boilers, Types of Alternator: Features, Advantages, and Vast Usage, Ball Valve Parts: An Easy-to-Understand Guide (2022 Updated). For example, bioethanol and biodiesel have a higher tendency to absorb moisture than fossil fuels, which can cause corrosion in fuel systems and engines. PhotoAlto/James Hardy/Getty Images "Biofuel" is a major buzzword in transportation circles these days, and for good reason. That directly translates into more expensive bacon and ham at the grocery store [source: Carey]. The use of algae and cyanobacteria as a source of third-generation biodiesel holds promise but has been difficult to develop economically. Manure and other animal waste can be converted to sustainably meet the energy needs of the farm. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. But there are also disadvantages. ", David Biello is a contributing editor at Scientific American. Hundreds -- even thousands -- of unbroken acres of one crop offer an irresistible target for plant pests; pest populations can explode beyond control in such a tempting environment. There are a few potential negative effects of biofuels on the environment and economy that need to be considered when forming an opinion about their use in the future. Companies such as Ineos Bio are turning trash into other chemicals such as plastics. (Jan. 14, 2011)http://www.springerlink.com/content/r1552355771656v0/, Rosen, C.J. Some studies are underway to increase the yields of biofuel from weather-tolerant crops. If biofuels are obtained from sustainable farming of reclaimed lands, their production may be much less polluting in terms of not degrading land or freshwater resources compared to fossil fuels. The New York Times. It can be used in pure form (B100) or can be blended with petro-diesel in the form of B2 (2% biodiesel, 98% petroleum diesel), B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% . Disadvantages of Biomass Energy This is an ethanol refinery. Biodiesel, which has found greatest acceptance in Europe, is used in diesel engines and usually blended with petroleum diesel fuel in various percentages. . Long-time monoculture farms have to use much more artificial fertilizer than their more sustainable peers, increasing water pollution. Industry researchers had found an answer in palm oil, a relatively easy-to-produce biofuel source. Incredibly safe. The ragged stripes stretching from east to west are growing zones: regions where water supply, temperature and sunlight make hospitable climates for certain types of plants. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The greenhouse emission potential of biofuel varies considerably, from levels comparable to fossil fuels in some situations to negative emissions in others. By that time, the corn had been on the market for a season. One of the key challenges in making the use of biofuels more sustainable over the long term is ensuring that they are sourced from feedstocks that have a low carbon footprint and are not in competition with food production. Biofuels, on the other hand, are produced from biological materials, which are generally considered to be cleaner-burning than fossil fuels. Consequently, it makes sense to look for an unsaturated oil as a biofuel source. Additionally, biofuel production can also lead to changes in land use patterns, as farmers may shift from growing food crops to biofuel crops in order to take advantage of government incentives or higher prices for biofuel crops. Biodiesel doesn't fare much better. Lets explore the pros and cons of biofuels in order to better understand their future potential as our energy source. 1. For the billions of people who live on only a few dollars per day, even a small increase in food prices could put their access to proper nutrition at risk. Advantages of incineration. Another type of biofuel is biodiesel. Jan. 31, 2007. Many biofuel crops are used to make biodiesel. As a result, converting plant biomass to ethanol requires processing much larger amounts of feed stock to produce the same amount of biofuel than conventional biofuels. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are non-renewable, which means they are finite and will eventually run out. However, ready access to food imports, and the ease of exporting, hinge on a wide range of political and social factors. Other biofuel crops, such as switchgrass and miscanthus, are considered to be more water-efficient and need less water for irrigation. High Cost of Production Even with all the benefits associated with biofuels, they are quite expensive to produce in the current market. Loss of natural habitat can change the hydrology, increase erosion, and generally reduce biodiversity of wildlife areas. What is Distributed Generation? September 2007. 2. 19 January 2011. "You can place it in refineries throughout North America. Biofuel can generate electricity and can be created from various waste products collected from the farming industry. Biofuel is used to power vehicles, and is being produced by gasification in countries such as Sweden, Austria, and the . There are some complicating aspects about disadvantages of biofuels that we should look at. Corn-based ethanol, for example, has a higher density than gasoline; fuel injectors have to be larger in an ethanol-only engine to match the fuel flow of a comparable gasoline engine. Consumers living in a low-producing region need to have biofuel by moving through pipes or trucks to them. Adverse consequences can occur when chemicals are in the water supply. First, there is the issue of output. IATA believes that by 2020 we could see 3%-4% of fuel comprised of second generation biofuels, which is made from biomass, agricultural residues or waste, rather than from the oil crops used for first generation biofuels. The molecular bonds in oils low in saturated fats, which stay liquid at lower temperatures, vary from those high in saturated fats, which often form solids in average temperature ranges. Biofuels are definitely cheaper than fossil fuels. Monoculture refers to the production of one concentrated crop rather than the rotating of different crops through a farmers field over time. A number of manufacturers sell biodiesel and grease car conversion components, and some others find methods to overcome the gelling problem. Biofuels could be a sustainable energy source over the long term if they are produced and used in a responsible and well-planned manner when all the pros and cons of biofuels versus fossil fuels are considered.
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