Its worth noting that the negative effects of biofuels can be mitigated by adopting appropriate policies and regulations, such as implementing sustainable land use practices, supporting research and development of advanced biofuels, and promoting the use of biofuels in a way that doesnt compete with food production. The biofuels advantages and disadvantages depend entirely on their nature and how they are accessed. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. As crude oil prices rise, we need several other alternative energy solutions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Producers that focus on a single cash crop each year face an increased risk of pest development, water pollution, and catastrophic failure. Some of the disadvantages of biofuels apply mainly to low-diversity biofuel sourcescorn, soybeans, sugarcane, oil palmswhich are traditional agricultural crops. This lack of compatibility is one of the reasons that biofuels have not been widely adopted as a replacement for fossil fuels. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Not Rotating the Crop 3. Biofuels are less suitable for application in low temperatures. As the name suggests, biofuels are derived from plant and their products. As a result, converting plant biomass to ethanol requires processing much larger amounts of feed stock to produce the same amount of biofuel than conventional biofuels. 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? Dependence on Water and Oil Resources. 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. As of now, the interest and capital investment being put into biofuel production is fairly low, but it can match demand. Biogas reduces Soil and water pollution. Compared to petroleum-based gasoline, ethanol is a less effective fuel. Biofuels - Some crops, like corn and sugar cane, can be converted into a biofuel called ethanol. 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]. MIT Technology Review. These materials include plant matter such as corn, soybeans, and sugarcane, as well as animal fats and agricultural waste. The burning of fossil fuels generates a variety of air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. The major disadvantage to using algae to produce biofuels is the cost, which in part is due to the fact that the practice of using algae to produce biofuels is relatively new and requires additional research and development to find less costly production methods. Ignorance Conclusion One potential challenge to the reliability of biofuels is their limited availability, as they are only produced from certain feedstocks (as mentioned in the disadvantages section). "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. 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. July 30, 2000. An example of such practice could be plantation of diverse prairie grass mixtures. Land Use Modifications 9. These differences in state at a given temperature come from the oils' molecular makeup. "The business of ethanol is a very substantial market opportunity," Chornet says. Second, the oil produced by these plants is not identical. Similarly, nutrients that are returned to the soil through crop rotation and allow fields to lay fallow disappear under extreme monocultural farming. To meet the increasing demand for biofuels, farmers may convert natural habitats, such as forests and grasslands, into croplands. True, a plant-based fuel comes from a renewable source, while fossil fuels will eventually run out. April 2009. Synfuels still remain more expensive to produce than conventional fuels, mostly because more research, development and investment are necessary to make production economically viable. March 2005. Biofuels are often not compatible with traditional fossil fuel infrastructure because they have different chemical and physical properties. While technology eventually will limit these ratios, the ratio of energy input to the output of modern biofuel production is an important disadvantage to its widespread use. Source of renewable energy Advantages Disadvantages; Biofuel: Renewable source. A study in 2005 showed that using available farming and production technologies, from 27 to 118 percent more energy is needed to produce a gallon of biodiesel than the energy existing in it. The main disadvantage to using corn crops for biofuel production is the effect it would have on food crops and prices around the world. Air quality sensing of particulate matter shows that levels of this damaging pollutant are high around such sites. If farmers are incentivized to plant crops that are not well suited for the location, they may end up needing more water than any other crops would. Except providing new livelihood opportunities for local families, they could also represent a sustainable and innovative option that will contribute to rural development. Ethanol-makerand oil refinerValero Energy Corp. has also invested in Enerkem. It might seem counterintuitive at first, but some scientists argue that widespread biofuel production is a negative-sum game: Producing enough biodiesel or ethanol to replace one gallon of petroleum fuel, they argue, requires the energy equivalent to several gallons' worth of petroleum fuel [source: Pimentel]. Ethanol can be used instead of gasoline in many cars. Monoculture refers to the practice of growing one heavily concentrated crop, rather than the rotation of various crops through a farmer's fields over time. The production of biofuels can compete with food production for land and resources, which can lead to higher food prices. They are perennial. Corn ethanol, for example, takes a great deal more energy to create than it creates itself when burned. Biogas is methane generated in the process of anaerobic digestion of organic matter by anaerobes. But if the tractors that tend the field burn 75 gallons of fuel in the season, the truck to transport the corn to a processor burns 20 gallons on the trip, and the processor uses the energy of 40 gallons of fuel to run its distillation equipment, is the ethanol produced really an environmentally friendly, low-emission fuel? Common fertilizers include nitrogen and phosphorus. University of Minnesota. Biofuel production utilizing food crops such as corn can drastically change the worlds access to cheap food. You can substitute it for corn ethanol if produced at a lower cost. This necessarily destroys animal dwellings, microcosms (micro ecosystems), and reduces the overall health of a region's natural resources. For example, Range Fuels in Georgia similarly attempted to gasify waste from the pulp and paper industry and transform it into ethanol directly but foundered in perfecting its catalysts. The proper way to grow biofuels to serve all needs simultaneously will continue to be a matter of much experimentation and debate, but the fast growth in biofuel production will likely continue. While technology may eventually narrow those ratios, the input-output energy ratio of modern biofuel production is a major drawback to its widespread use. In general, biofuels are more expensive to produce than fossil fuels on a per-unit energy basis. 2. However, in terms of cost, the overall benefits of using biofuels are much higher. Drivers of vehicles who use these fuels usually have to install heating units to protect the fuel tank and lines free from gelled fuel or dual-fuel mechanisms flushing the engine with petroleum diesel during start-up and shut-down. This can lead to food insecurity in local communities and increase in food prices. 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. A number of factors play into any fuel's cost, both in economic and environmental terms, and biofuel doesn't always come out as the most sustainable option. Biofuels costs are affected by these fluctuations, so when the price of fossil fuels is high, biofuels can be more cost-competitive. Agricultural and Food Policy Center, Texas A&M University. Biofuel production boosts the demand for suitable biofuel products and strengthens the agriculture industry. In the end, making a fuel from garbage remains a promising opportunityas long as the waste is already divvied up into its own component parts, as is happening in Edmonton and at the Three Rivers landfill near Pontotoc, Miss. Turning garbage into fuel is potentially an answer to two pressing problemsdiminishing the world's dependence on fossil fuels and an alternative to burying trash in landfills. Additionally, biofuel production can also lead to changes in land use patterns, as farmers may shift from growing food crops to biofuel crops in order to take advantage of government incentives or higher prices for biofuel crops. In the long term, this may lead to a decrease in food availability, nutritional quality of available foods, diversity of food crops, and possibly endanger food security. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Some scientists argue that producing enough biodiesel or ethanol to replace one gallon of petroleum fuel needs energy equal to several gallons value of petroleum fuel. Moisture is more likely to be absorbed by biofuels than fossil diesel, which causes problems in cold weather. "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. The fourth generation of biofuels includes electro fuels and solar fuels. But in other regions, the same plants would be impossible -- or extremely costly -- to grow. Increases Pollution in contrast to wind and solar 10. Think about the oils in your kitchen: While the olive oil in the cupboard is easy to pour, the lard and vegetable shortening have a paste-like consistency. 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. Its lubricating properties are significantly better. 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. And while biofuel is not as clean as other renewables and won't get us out of the woods when it comes to reversing the impacts of climate change, it is a reliable renewable source. Will alternative fuels deplete global corn supplies? Biofuel Biomass is the only renewable energy source that can be converted into liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. A pig farmer, for example, may have to pay a few extra dollars per bushel to buy corn to feed his livestock. The production of biofuels can in some cases compete with food production in several ways. Biodiesel, as the most common biofuel in Europe, is generated from oils or fats using transesterification.
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