2010. Your IP: Technical Challenges Perhaps the simplest drawback of biofuels is that it is not petroleum-based fuel so that they will work differently in engines developed for petroleum-based fuel. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Ethanol - Ethanol is a volatile, colorless and flammable alcohol obtained from corn or cellulosic materials, and is used as an alternative fuel to gasoline and diesel. Advantages and Disadvantages of Biomass Energy Biomass Energy . While technology may eventually narrow those ratios, the input-output energy ratio of modern biofuel production is a major drawback to its widespread use. The plant will turn 300 metric tons of raw fluff per day into 36 million liters of ethanol per year. Overall, the reliability of biofuels as an energy source will depend on the specific circumstances of their production and use. This is due to the fact that biofuels are derived from renewable resources, such as crops and waste materials, which is more expensive to grow and process than fossil fuels. The cost of biofuel production can vary depending on the type of biofuel, the location, and the specific technologies used. The quantity of vegetable oil available in an acre of crops can range greatly, from 18 gallons for corn to 635 gallons per acre for oil palm. 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.. In Brazil, ethanol biofuel is made primarily from sugarcane, and it is commonly used as a 100-percent-ethanol fuel or in gasoline blends containing 85 percent ethanol. Many fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus. Thanks for reading Scientific American. And once the chemicals are in the water supply, bad things can happen. Can Renewable Energies Solve the Grave Problem of Climate Change? Since such feedstock material can be replenished readily, biofuel is considered to be a source of renewable energy, unlike fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas. A 2009 study suggests that, in the rush to produce enough corn-based ethanol to meet federal alternative energy requirements, biofuel demand is already putting stress on fresh water supplies in the Great Plains and central Southwest [source: McKenna]. 2. 100% Biodiesel is actually just as biodegradable as sugar and ten times less toxic when compared with table salt. Its lubricating properties are significantly better. The sun stores resources into these materials thanks to photosynthesis. "Essentially, we intersect [with the waste] before it goes to the landfill, where it would just contribute to the methane gas already coming from there," says Ineos business manager, Dan Cummings. Adjunct Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota. According to the report of RFA (Renewable Fuels Association) in February 2019, ethanol is the highest-octane and the least expensive motor fuel on earth. According to studies, the levels of carbon dioxide emissions and particulate matter are reduced with biofuels, however, the nitrogen oxides are slightly higher than at fossil fuels [1]. Given that the conversion rate is lower than with first-generation biofuels, cellulosic ethanol is dominantly used as a gasoline additive. Web. 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. When biodiesel is utilized as a combustible fuel, the engine durability increases. But there is another problem that appears with this selection. Land use is also a major factor in evaluating the benefits of biofuels. (2022 Guideline). First, there is the issue of output. Explore the increasing production of ethanol biofuel in the U.S and its downside, Learn the process of producing biodiesel from rapeseed oil. If you use ethanol for your vehicles, you reduce up to 86% of greenhouse gas emissions more than fossil fuel. While they can burn cleaner, producing synthetic fuels often causes just as much, if not more, pollution than traditional gasoline. The mere biomass energy definition of turning waste to electricity is an exciting prospect and one that any logic dictates as a good idea to pursue. Biofuels - Some crops, like corn and sugar cane, can be converted into a biofuel called ethanol. But while different crops can be converted to biodiesel through the same process, the resulting fuel can be very different in its ability to produce energy. Such a material is said to be carbon neutral. In practice, however, the industrial production of agricultural biofuels can result in additional emissions of greenhouse gases that may offset the benefits of using a renewable fuel. The use of biofuels improves energy security of individual countries by diversifying the energy mix and reducing reliance of countries on a single energy source. Fuel." Biofuel production may decrease the pesticide pollution if done sustainably and right, especially if perennial polycultures are involved. But in other regions, the same plants would be impossible -- or extremely costly -- to grow. The use of biofuels can therefore help to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a more sustainable energy system. Unlike the first-generation ethanol biofuel produced from food crops, second-generation cellulosic ethanol is derived from low-value biomass that possesses a high cellulose content, including wood chips, crop residues, and municipal waste. Although the creation of biofuels produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct, it is often used to grow the plants that are converted into fuel. Biodiesel produces less toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases than petroleum diesel. The production of biofuels often leads to land use changes, such as the conversion of natural habitats to cropland. While this is an economically attractive practice, playing off economies of scale to make the crop more profitable for the farmer, it can have severe environmental drawbacks. But we must realize that nothing in life is straightforward and applicable to all situations. Biomass and biofuels have been used to generate energy since ancient times. Meanwhile, E4Tech's study Sustainable Aviation FuelsFuelling the Future estimates a potential global supply of up to . This means that more biofuel is required to produce the same amount of energy as a smaller amount of fossil fuel. Disadvantages of Biofuels 1. Making biofuels from waste makes dollars--and sense, Edmonton is Canada's chief oil city as well as the capital of Alberta, the province that hosts the bulk of the country's tar sands. This means that when garbage rots in landfills, that stinky gas can be used for energy! There is also no need to convert the engine. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In order for biofuels to become widely used, researchers are working on developing biofuels that are more similar in properties to fossil fuels. Soil, groundwater and air pollution. 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. The organic material that makes biofuels is made of carbon dioxide absorbed by plants from the atmosphere as they grew. April 2009. Biofuels are generally of two categories: gaseous biofuel and liquid biofuel. In many cases, biofuels can be produced from locally available resources. Companies such as Ineos Bio are turning trash into other chemicals such as plastics. The rise in demand for food-biofuel crops can have a positive effect for crop producers, in the form of higher prices for their produce. 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]. "Measuring Corn Ethanol's Thirst for Water." The use of regular feedstock, such as corn and soybeans, as a primary component of first-generation biofuels sparked the food versus fuel debate. Farmers of corn, soybeans and cotton -- all potential biofuel sources -- are increasingly planting genetically modified versions of those plants [source: United States Department of Agriculture]. This can make them less practical for some applications, such as long-distance transportation. Concerns have arisen mainly due to the lack of cover left to protect the resulting fallow fields from erosion from wind and rain. Likewise, the nutrients that are put back into the soil through crop rotation and allowing fields to lay fallow disappear under intense monocultural farming. References: Ann, Ngee. Bioenergy is less expensive. Economic and environmental considerations, https://www.britannica.com/technology/biofuel, United States Environmental Protection Agency - Economics of Biofuels, biofuel - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). "It's a pittance being spent on reducing our dependence on oil than putting our boys in harm's way overseas," says Coskata's Wesley Bolsen, chief marketing officer and vice president for government affairs. But large-scale biofuel production -- especially using corn, and in arid parts of the world -- will have to share finite water resources with drinking and irrigation needs. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. But that price quickly trickles down to consumers. This means large scale production to supply for a large population is still not possible. Most fossil fuels will expire one day. But since many popular biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, are also popular food sources for much of the world, it stands to reason that the problems related to monoculture could get much worse as consumers demand more biofuel. The amount of water used to grow biofuels varies depending on the type of biofuel, the location, and the farming practices used. Syngas can be utilized to make methanol, DME, and hydrogen. Industrial Pollution 6. Let's look at some of the drawbacks of biofuels and gain a new perspective on the fuels we may see more of in the future. Some crops will grow better in certain areas and may not grow at all in other regions. By that time, the corn had been on the market for a season. 6 May 2015. 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. Furthermore, the burning of coal and oil raises the temperature and warms the planet. In small countries, or in municipalities where landfills are full and . To meet the increasing demand for biofuels, farmers may convert natural habitats, such as forests and grasslands, into croplands. Long-time monoculture farms must use much more fertilizer than sustainable peers, and this increases water pollution. However, the high greenhouse emissions, deadly air pollution, instable fossil-based energy prices, and strong growth of global transportation fuel demand have boosted extensive research efforts in developing bioenergy. Excessive use or improper application can leave surplus fertilizer in the soil, which is then washed through regional watersheds and transferred into rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers. Nitrogen added to drinking water can cause health problems, like methemoglobinemia, a disease that prevents infants from using the oxygen in their blood. Biofuel production boosts the demand for suitable biofuel products and strengthens the agriculture industry. If you live in Zone 5, for example, you will likely have trouble growing a plant that requires the long growing season and high heat of Zone 10 [source: Burpee]. Looking for Renewable Energy Device & Equipment Prices? For example, emphasis on ethanol derived from corn is shifting grasslands and brushlands to corn monocultures, and emphasis on biodiesel is bringing down ancient tropical forests to make way for oil palm plantations. Biofuels are renewable. Converting degraded agricultural land that is out of production to such high-diversity biofuel sources could increase wildlife area, reduce erosion, cleanse waterborne pollutants, store carbon dioxide from the air as carbon compounds in the soil, and ultimately restore fertility to degraded lands. The benefits of biofuels compared to fossil fuels depend on a variety of factors that need to be considered when used on a large scale. September 2007. Adverse consequences can occur when chemicals are in the water supply. With aims such as reducing the costs of biofuel, it enables high-value products from biomass or waste resources, as well as the reduction in the cost of bioenergy production. Read more about us. One obvious consideration is the gel, or clouding, point: A fuel that turns solid well above water's freezing point would not be very useful in a cold location. Disadvantage of Biofuels Energy output Indirect Carbon Emissions Much Higher Initial Cost Food Prices May Strain Water Resources Destruction of Cultivable Land Conclusion on Biofuel Pros and Cons Related Resources Biofuel Pros and Cons Analysis: How Does It Work? 6. Its use also leads to a significant reduction of particulate matter emissions, the term used to explain solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Because biomass technically can be used directly as a fuel, sometimes the terms biomass and biofuel are used interchangeably. By using biofuels as an alternative energy source, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which can help to reduce our impact on the environment and contribute to a more sustainable energy system that is more locally based. The development of new biofuels technologies can support innovation and drive economic growth in a sustainable way. The carbon footprint that the use of biofuels leaves is quite substantial. Updates? Other biofuels include methane gas and biogaswhich can be derived from the decomposition of biomass in the absence of oxygenand methanol, butanol, and dimethyl etherwhich are in development. In this regard, cellulosic biomass is considered to be more beneficial. See also carbon sequestration. That directly translates into more expensive bacon and ham at the grocery store [source: Carey]. While both of these additives promote rapid and hearty growth in many crops, they have a downside. Biofuels are obtained from crops and plants that contain large amounts of sugar. Similarly, BlueFire Ethanol turns waste into ethanol by using sulfuric acid to release the cellulose in the trash and then adds enzymes and microbes to ferment it into fuel. Their main perk is that they are produced from organic materials which replenish seasonally. Biofuel can generate electricity and can be created from various waste products collected from the farming industry. Lets explore the pros and cons of biofuels in order to better understand their future potential as our energy source. The use of algae and cyanobacteria as a source of third-generation biodiesel holds promise but has been difficult to develop economically. One alternative involves the use of highly diverse mixtures of species, with the North American tallgrass prairie as a specific example. A number of manufacturers sell biodiesel and grease car conversion components, and some others find methods to overcome the gelling problem. Disadvantages 1. Bioenergy can reduce the waste problem. (Dec. 13, 2010)http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/BiotechCrops/, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. Natural Resources Research.
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