Algae algae come from stagnant ponds in the natural world, and more recently in algae farms, which produce the plant for the specific purpose of creating biofuel. These processes have been used for hundreds of years in many uses, such as making alcohol. Biofuels are energy carriers that store the energy derived from biomass. While some people see global warming as a natural event, most scientists agree that fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, drive the temperature increase. In august 2015 i covered the top 3 reasons why biofuels are better for the u. Advantages and disadvantages of biofuels conserve energy future. This thesis presented microalgae as the third generation biofuel feedstock. As land is the limiting resource, the appropriate basis for comparison is a function of land area mg c ha1 year1. This roadmap is intended to summarize the state of technology for algaebased fuels and. The great thing is we can have our cake and eat it too. Whether its the melting of the frozen glaciers that shroud kilimanjaro, africas highest mountain, or the overall rise in the level of the oceans, global warming is reshaping the planet. Global social and economic impact on the use of biofuels and.
Here are some of the advantages of biofuels with a couple of disadvantages as well pros benefits. It seeks to provide some context for a understanding the limitations of firstgeneration biofuels made today from grains, seeds and sugar crops. First generation biofuels are produced through wellunderstood technologies and processes, like fermentation, distillation and transesterification. Jan 06, 2020 biofuel is a type of energy derived from renewable plant and animal materials. Biomass has traditionally been used as fuel for energy production in the form of wood, charcoal or animal waste. The digester is provided with an overflow pipe to lead the sludge out into a drainage pit.
Biofuels, generated using microalgae as sustainable energy, have received a lot of attention. As of now, biofuels cost the same in the market as gasoline does. Biofuels have recently emerged as a major issue in energy policy, rural development and natural resource management. Pdf biofuels have recently emerged as a major issue in energy policy, rural development and natural resource management. Biofuels promise to be a reliable source of energy and after. As biofuel is known as an alternative to diesel fuel, there are other uses. Even solar energy, the longtouted saviour of the ever expanding human appetite for energy is decades away from being feasible on a large scale and without the impact that comes from manipulating toxic chemicals into pv panels. Secondary biofuels result from processing of biomass and include liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel that can be used in vehicles and industrial processes.
But biofuel can provide hydrogen, clean up oil, work as cooking oil and more. Though biofuels have a number of advantages over fossil fuels, their integration into the fuel supply chain has to be done with great care to ensure that their. Examples of biofuels include ethanol often made from corn in the united states and sugarcane in brazil, biodiesel. Biofuels can be produced in ways that completely eliminate sulphur and thus can eliminate this component of acid rain. This report focuses on ethanol and biodiesel, the most widely available biofuels.
The use of rapeseed biodiesel represents a good opportunity for the achievement of the european goals. The biomass contains lignocellulosic material like wood, straw and waste plastic extract from algae mostly marine algae. More people are using biofuels as a way to save money and decrease their consumption of fossil fuels. Biofuels can be produced locally, which decreases the nations dependence upon foreign energy. This presentation does not contain any proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information. The biofuel pros and cons are can be summarized into, renewable, selfsustaining, low cost and sovereignty for biofuels pros and water use, low energy output, and negative impact on agriculture prices for biofuel cons many people have now heard about biofuels.
Generations of biofuels worksheet oregon state university. Doesnt require any radical changes to switch to the use of biofuels unlike the difficulties in switching to other renewable energy sources such as solar and. Advantages and disadvantages of biofuels biofuel is fuel derived from organic matter in a short period of time, and differs from fossil fuels which need thousands or millions of years to be created. Algae is very promising as a biofuel since it generates a quality and diverse fuel. Classification of biofuels also called conventional biofuels. So, plants are capable of decreasing the carbon dioxide amount in the environment, and therefore reduce global warming.
The material in this paper may be reproduced for noncommercial purposes provided full credit is given to the author and to iied. Future growth in crop and biofuel yields will probably allow corn ethanol and soy biodiesel to. Potential and environmental impacts of liquid biofuel from. Bioenergy is mainly used in homes 80%, to a lesser extent in industry 18%, while liquid biofuels for transport still play a limited role 2%. Biofuels principally ethanol and biodiesel have made rapid inroads into the market for transportation fuel, rising to above 60 billion liters worldwide in recent years. Different sources of biofuel here are 4 biofuel sources, with some of their application in developmental stages, some ac. Biofuels advantages of biofuels biofuel information. Biofuels reduce harmful emissions, lowering impact on the environment ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 34% in comparison to gasoline. Introduction to biofuel university of california, berkeley. Ethanol, biofuels, and pipeline transportation the use of ethanol, as a fuel additive blended with gasoline, and other biofuels has increased markedly during the last several years, due in large part to new laws and regulations.
Microalgae can be cultivated at low cost with co 2 and solar energy without competition from edible crops. Biofuels issues and trends energy information administration. Eventually we throw away everything we have harvested. Biofuels production, trade and sustainable development. Biofuel technology handbook 29 in conclusion, the emissions over the full life cycl e of biofuels, from changes in land use to combustion of fuels, determine their impact on the climate. Energy information administration biofuels issues and trends 1 highlights biofuels is a collective term for liquid fuels derived from renewable sources, including ethanol, biodiesel, and other renewable liquid fuels. These advantages of biofuels qualify them as the right renewable energy source to be used in the years to come.
Furthermore, we analyse the main assumptions, modelling approaches and results of the algal biofuels pathways considered in the life cycle assessment lca literature. Dec 16, 2019 10 biggest pros and cons of biofuels dec 16, 2019 apr 6, 2016 by green garage in the search for more and better sources for fuel, consumers are becoming more aware and involved in the production and promulgation of different available alternatives. The costs of producing biofuels sometimes outweigh the benefits. First, second and third generation the 2nd generation biodiesel includes liquid fuels derived from jatrapha seed oil and from a catalytic conversion pro cess of synthetic gas from the gasification of biomass. However, cellulose biofuels currently have a lower conversion rate in production, making them more suitable as fuel additives instead of a replacement for gasoline. First, the tough rigid structure of the plant cell wallwhich includes the biological molecules cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin bound tightly togethermust be broken down. Defined broadly, biofuels are fuels derived from biomass any matter derived from plants or animals. Economics of biofuels environmental economics us epa.
This one relates to the little multicolored maps on the backs of seed packets. A basic distinction is made between unprocessed primary biofuels, such as fuelwood, and processed secondary biofuels the latter include liquid biofuels, such as ethanol and. First, second and third generation the 2nd generation biodiesel includes liquid fuels derived from jatrapha seed oil and from a catalytic conversion pro cess of. Although further research is required to make more efficient and applicable on a wide scale, they have already created a niche for themselves in the renewable energy sector. A wide range of biomass sources can be used to produce bioenergy in a variety of forms. On the other hand, biofuels tend to contain high levels of nitrogen, which can form compounds that also lead to acid rain and atmospheric contamination.
Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images, photos and vectors. The twoday event brought together more than 200 scientists, engineers, executive summary a culture of the microalgae botryococcus. Reduce greenhouse gases top 10 advantages of biofuels. Biofuel meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Also, biofuels can help in managing the municipal solid wastes i. Unep between 1970 and 2008, total net exports of plantbased raw materials increased by a factor of more than three in the region, due largely to growth of the biofuels sector in brazil and argentina.
The national algal biofuels technology roadmap workshop, held december 910, 2008, was convened by doeeeres biomass program. Advantages and disadvantages of first generation biofuels bioenergy, particularly biofuels, sustainability is a key aspect of the future energy development. Sugar cane ethanol provides greater ghg emissions mitigation, and secondgeneration biofuels have still larger mitigation potential. Experience in the region shows that regulatory frameworks play a central role in shaping domestic biofuels markets, and that they should be accompanied by energy efficiency measures.
Biofuel organisms producing biofuel starts with growing feedstock and choosing the right feedstock is paramount. In order to achieve this aim, several tasks were set. Pdf an overview on biofuels and their advantages and. A digester or fermentation tank the digester is a cubeshaped or cylindrical waterproof container with an inlet into which the fermentable mixture is introduced in the form of a liquid slurry. This allows biofuels to become the best factor in energy reduction.
From the sugar platform to biofuels and biochemicals. Advantages and disadvantages of biofuels lovetoknow. Advantages and disadvantages of biofuel greentumble. Produce biofuels, correctly emissions, like first plants, consume carbon dioxide, grow and get food. 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. They are cleaner fuels, which means they produce fewer emissions on burning. Annie dufey, 2006, biofuels production, trade and sustainable development. The growth of the biofuels sector, among other factors, results in continued extraction and use of biomass, at a much larger scale than would be indicated by. All three generations of biofuels burn cleaner than fossil fuels. Sep 20, 2017 demand for biofuels made from food crops, such as palm and rapeseed oil, has led to an increase in global food prices and needs to be curbed, according to a new analysis there has been a surge. Sections 4 and 5, dealing the former with biofuels evaluation and the latter with their economic, social, and environmental impacts, are the core of the paper.
Plant based fuels comes form renewable source, can be grown anywhere and have lower carbon emissions as compared to fossil fuels. As of 2010, the worldwide production of biofuel reached 105 billion liters, which is a 17% increase from the year previous. The share of ethanol in gasolinetype fuels reached 5. Global social and economic impact on the use of biofuels and recomendations for sustainability. Biofuels made from algae are referred to as third generation biofuels. Moreover, the quality of biofuels is lower than the one of fossil fuels so biofuels are mostly used mixed in or as additives to fossil fuels. Using biofuels results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from fossil fuels. The hummer is green and mean and includes an electric motor and a turbine that burns biodiesel.
Luis barrera aguilar, hector montiel campos, ignacio ramirez leyva, horacio lima gutierrez, ricardo sanchez esquivel, abstract biofuels currently represent a potential source of renewable energy. Biofuels are adaptable to current engine designs and perform very well in most conditions. Advantages and disadvantages of biofuels conserve energy. Dealing specifically with liquid and gaseous biofuels that can be produced from renewable resources this text also gives a summary of the past, present and future production technologies and. Advantages of biofuels that has yet to be an energy source that comes without some drawback. Sustainable production of secondgeneration biofuels. Global social and economic impact on the use of biofuels. Mar 10, 20 advantages and disadvantages of biofuels biofuel is fuel derived from organic matter in a short period of time, and differs from fossil fuels which need thousands or millions of years to be created. Biofuels, including ethanol, and gasoline blends gasoline blended with. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. From the sugar platform to biofuels and biochemicals 6 executive summary there are a very large number of possible combinations of feedstock, pretreatment options, sugars, conversion technologies and downstream processes that can be followed as potential pathways to make biofuels and biochemicals.
It includes sugar, starch, or vegetable oil known as advanced biofuels and can be manufactured from different types of biomass. Demand for biofuels is increasing global food prices, says. Generations of biofuels objective oregon state university. Biomass will not only provide biofuels but it will also provide a.
Some notes on the future of biofuels are the subject of section 6. Despite all these advantages, the international trade of biofuels still. There are 2 main sorts of biofuel, bioethanol and biodiesel. Biofuels for transport, including ethanol, biodiesel, and several other liquid and gaseous fuels, have the potential to displace a substantial amount of petroleum around the world over the next few decades, and a clear trend in that direction has begun. Mar 04, 2017 the technology of refining biomass into biofuels is based on biological processes and requires a lot of land, clean water, and labor 5. Doesnt require any radical changes to switch to the use of biofuels unlike the difficulties in switching to other renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Biofuels advantages and trade barriers prepared by.
The ragged stripes stretching from east to west are growing zones. First generation biofuels, also known as conventional biofuels, are made from sugar, starch or vegetable oil. However, the overall cost benefit of using them is much higher. Bioethanol is widely used in usa and brazil and is mostly used as an gasoline additive. From the sugar platform to biofuels and biochemicals 6 executive summary there are a very large number of possible combinations of feedstock, pretreatment options, sugars, conversion technologies and downstream processes that can be followed as potential pathways to. One of the more popular choices to replace fossilbased energy sources is biofuels, liquid. This book gives a broad overview of the key topics in this field of study, approaching them from a technical and economic angle giving the reader a comprehensive insight into biofuels as a whole. In the search for more and better sources for fuel, consumers are becoming more aware and involved in the production and promulgation of different available alternatives. Advanced biofuels, such as long chain alcohols and isoprenoid and fatty acidbased biofuels, have physical properties that more closely resemble petroleumderived fuels, and as such are an attractive alternative for the future supplementation or replacement of petroleumderived fuels.
However, there is some drawback of vegetable oil using as. Economics of biofuels replacing fossil fuels with biofuelsfuels produced from renewable organic materialhas the potential to reduce some undesirable aspects of fossil fuel production and use, including conventional and greenhouse gas ghg pollutant emissions, exhaustible resource depletion, and dependence on unstable foreign suppliers. Biofuels vary in their impact on climate, energy security and ecosystems, depending on the specific processes involved in producing them. By reducing dependence on foreign fuel sources, countries can protect the integrity of their energy resources and make them safe from outside influences. Generally, people think of biofuels as a greener alternative to fossil fuels but do you really know about biofuels are. The technology of refining biomass into biofuels is based on biological processes and requires a lot of land, clean water, and labor 5. Therefore, eight countries have been analysed in detail. These usage levels have raised concerns about the impact of biofuels on world food supplies and prices. A gas holder the gas holder is normally an airproof steel container that. Many assume that the material is used just for transportation. Biofuels are low in carbon intensity so they dont directly affect global warming in fact, it is suggested that biofuel formulations can remove materials like logging waste and cooking oil from the waste stream. The difference between a good and a mediocre feedstock can be the difference between a yield of 400 gallons per acre and double or even ten times that amount.