Biofuels A Clean Alternative For Fossil Fuels - 1737 Words

Biofuels: A clean alternative to fossil fuels? Biofuels, like fossil fuels are hydrocarbons made from a living or once lived organism that humans can use to power something and uses biological carbon fixation, a process that takes inorganic carbon and converts it into organic compounds (Wikipedia). However, unlike fossil fuels, which can take millions of years to form, biofuels are produced in a short period of time such as days, weeks, or months. Because humans have been burning fossil fuels for over a century and a half now, we’ve become very good at finding, extracting, and refining the crude product from which these fuels are made. In that time, much of our infrastructure has been designed to operate using fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have also been substantially beneficial as they have a very high energy density. Because they are also easily combustible, they carry large amounts of transportable energy in a small package, making fossil fuels very practical and the domi nant energy source today. In addition, fossil fuels are abundantly available. While there is a finite supply, even with our current rate of consumption, we will not be running out of fossil fuels anytime soon. However, while the advantages of fossil fuels sound promising, they have gained a notorious reputation from their disadvantages. For example, according to the EPA, â€Å"the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels forShow MoreRelatedBiofuels Vs. Fossil Fuels1622 Words   |  7 Pages Biofuels vs. Fossil Fuels (David Ross, 2005) Carbon dioxide, the chief byproduct of fossil fuel combustion, is a potent greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere indefinitely. In the U.S., the burning of coal for electricity pumps more than 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, according to the Energy Information Administration. People ask what about the cars? How do they affect the environment? The average American passenger car spits out 11,450 pounds ofRead MoreEssay about Renewable and Clean Energy1611 Words   |  7 PagesAs these days global warming, pollutions and fuel shortages are getting more and more serious through time, renewable and clean energy is increasingly the ideal solution to energy related problems we have to solve one way or another. Biofuel is currently one of the mainstream and highly supported solutions, an idea to make renewable fuel by living organisms such as fiber, corn, vegetable oil or sugarcane. Biofuels, unlike nonrenewable fossil fuels over extracted by people, contains the potentialRead MoreBiofuel and The Racing Industry Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pages The billion dollar racing industry uses high-octane fossil fuels for competition. Lately, ecologists and governments have begun to highlight the need for the racing industry to switch from high-octane fuels to biofuels. The concern for preserving diesel fuels stems from its non-renewal in nature; however, the racing industry should not be forced to use biofuels because of three primary reasons – performance, cost effectiveness and high infrastructure expenditure. The ecologists are of the opinionRead MoreRenewable Sources of Energy1155 Words   |  5 PagesBiofuel is Fuel produced from renewable resources, especially plant biomass, vegetable oils, and treated municipal and industrial wastes. Every time we drive in a vehicle we are using nonrenewable resources that are bad for the environment. Using gasoline or diesel release chemicals called green house gasses into the environment. Because of theses harmful chemicals people have started to use biofuels. There are two types of biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel. Biofuel is Fuel produced from renewableRead More101 Biofuel s Future Of The U.s.1325 Words   |  6 Pagesthe major problems confronting the United States and the World today, is the growing lack of fossil fuels and the accrual emissions of carbon into the atmosphere. The United States is still dependent on fossil fuels today such as coal despite numerous efforts to decrease that dependency, and are also relying on imported oil from multiple foreign countries particularly in the Middle East. The use of fossil fuel has generated great anxiety in greenhouse gas emissions and governments from all over theRead MoreThe Worlds Reliance on Fossil Fuels Essay1371 Words   |  6 PagesFossil Fuels The day was Black Friday. Around the world people are purchasing goods and services that they may or may not need. Many of these goods created take crude oil to produce. The world needs to change its habits to sustain time in the creation of new alternatives to fossil fuels. In my research I found that crude oil or petroleum will only last approximately thirty to forty more years. That means that the clock is ticking and we must find a solution to this major question facing our worldRead MoreThe United States And Fossil Fuels1117 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States relies heavily on fossil fuels as its main source of energy and with the limited supply, we ll have to develop and utilize alternative sources for clean, renewable, cheap and effective energy to power this country and the world into the future. It will be important for the health of our planet to utilize renewable resources that have no greenhouse gas emission. Out of necessity the world will eventually need to stop us ing fossil fuels for energy. There are many states that relyRead MoreGermany s Production And Consumption Of Biodiesel984 Words   |  4 Pagesdue to costs of food supply and carbon dioxide statistics. The â€Å"European Union proposed a 5.75% cap on the fraction of fuel that is biofuel.† (â€Å"Europe†) The policy changed to â€Å"ensure sustainable production and environmental responsibility, provide enhanced trade between EU member states, and support research and innovation†, (â€Å"Europe†) which are some of the new parts of the biofuel strategy. These policies are also looking into new taxation directives and biomass plans. Today, Germany is the top leadingRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Biofuel 859 Words   |  3 PagesBiofuel is a natural alternative fuel created from carbon fixation. Carbon fixation happens in both living and dead material and is known as biomass conversion. In other words, Biofuel uses naturally grown plant matter or plant-derived materials, (biomass) to con vert energy and must contain over 80% renewable matter. The biomass can then be converted in three different ways: thermal, chemical, and biochemical. The conversion of biomass creates fuel in solid, liquid, and gas form. The product of thisRead MoreFossil Fuels : The World s Primary Energy Source952 Words   |  4 PagesFossil fuels are currently the world s primary energy source. Fossil fuel includes coal, natural gas, and oil. In 2015, The United States consumed 97.7 billion btu of energy, 81% of that was from fossil fuels (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2016). Fossil fuel use will cause air and water pollution that will negatively affect all life on Earth. In 2012, it was estimated that air pollution caused 6.5 million deaths worldwide (WHO, 2016). These pollutants can worsen or cause respiratory and