BIOFUELS

Biofuels: Better, Clean and Green Alternatives to Petrol



Biofuels: Better, Clean and Green Alternatives to Petrol

The famous American industrialist, Henry Ford foresaw the future of biofuels back when he introduced his new car (Model T) in 1908. He envisaged the long-term benefits of crop-derived fermented ethanol and believed that it could serve as the most effective form of fuel for mass transportation. Back then, the only concept of fuel in existence was that of fossil fuels, which as the name implies, are obtainable from the ground through a pumping method. Today, the good news is that his vision has turned into reality (Eikeland, 2006, p.7).

What are Biofuels Really?

Biofuels are products of biomass, which can include sources such as house waste, grass and other organic matter. The diminution of petroleum products has led to the increased demand for biofuels. Many believe they are the best source of fuel, which can fully satisfy the growing needs of vehicular usage since we are presently dependent on the use of natural gas, diesel and petrol (Hart et. al, 2003, pp.9-10).

Fig 01: Sources of Biofuels (joelkostka.net)

The economic competition between the world's largest gas and oil companies has increased due to higer energy prices. This forces biofuel producing companies to pump increasing amounts of funds into this sector. Besides trucks and cars, biofuels are applicable in other vehicular sectors such as aircrafts, off-road equipment, small engines and several others. However, some manufacturing companies acknowledge that their engines are not completely compatible with biofuels, thus the need to develop compatible engines (Hart et. al, 2003, pp.9-10).

The Production of Biofuels

Initially, biofuels were prepared with victuals like sugar beet, corn and wheat. However, there was a lot of criticism about food being their source of generation. Overtime, scientists made changes to this method, and non-edible plants were utilized in ...