Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Alternative Fuels - Bio fuels - Bio diesel

Biofuel the Pros and Cons

As the word suggests, Bio diesels are fuels that are formed when plant waste brakes down. The Bio diesels are usually derived from vegitation. Bio diesels exist in all the 3 forms of matter: solid, liquids, or gas.

Difference between Bio diesels and Fossil fuels

Bio diesels are different from Fossil fuels in these following ways:
Fossil fuels can take millions of years to build whereas Bio diesels can be made very quick, in as fast as hours.
Fossil fuels produce great amounts of CO2. Bio diesels are comparatively safer.
Bio diesels are renewable forms of fuel Not like Fossil fuels.

Different types of bio fuels
Bio diesels have been categorized into four types: 1st generation, 2nd generation, 3rd generation, and 4th generation.

The 1st generation Bio diesels are derived from vegetable fats, starch, and sugar, which are in turn derived from food-crops. The 1st generation Bio diesels can also be made from animal fats. Biogas, bio-diesel, and vegetable oil are common forms of this type of Bio diesels.

The second generation of Bio diesels is usually derived from waste bio-mass, thus making it the more balanced type compared to the 1st generation Bio diesels . Different kinds of alcohols and diesel generated from wood fall into the category of second generation Bio diesels.

The third generation comprises of Bio diesels derived from algae. Algae are farmed on large scales for creating these Bio diesels. The algae fuels are extremely environment-friendly as they can easily decompose into the earth without harming it.

The Bio diesels in the 4th generation are derived thru a method in which micro-organisms are designed to work with carbon to produce energy.

Advantages of Bio diesels

Bio diesels are the most advantageous in the following ways:
Bio diesels lower the burden on gradually depleating Fossil fuels.
Bio diesels are environment-friendly. They help reduce carbon emissions into the air.
Biofuels, especially, bio-diesel can be exceptionally cost-effective for us.

Disadvantages of Bio diesels

Bio diesels are not lacking of criticism. Though beneficial for the environment, Bio diesels have its disadvantages, paradoxically in the environmental purview. Bio-fuels have received criticism for many reasons, a couple of which are stated below:
People have long debated on the helpfulness of 1st generation Bio diesels when compared to the lack of food they create. Making gas from food crops makes food crops unuseable for human consumption. Some us agree that being a higher priority than energy, food should not be farmed for making fuels but to eat.
Producing Bio diesels require many miles of valuable farming land, thus taking the natural habitat of many plants and animals.

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