From Wikipedia: Biofuel
Biofuel can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material.
Biofuel can be theoretically produced from any (biological) carbon source. The most common by far is photosynthetic plants that capture solar energy. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture.
Biofuels are used globally and biofuel industries are expanding in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The most common use for biofuels is as liquid fuels for automotive transport. The use of renewable biofuels provides increased independence from petroleum and enhances energy security.[1]
There are various current issues with biofuel production and use, which are presently being discussed in the popular media and scientific journals. These include: the effect of moderating oil prices, the “food vs fuel” debate, carbon emissions levels, sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion, impact on water resources, human rights issues, poverty reduction potential, biofuel prices, energy balance and efficiency, and centralised versus decentralised production models.
One of the greatest technical challenges is to develop ways to convert biomass energy specifically to liquid fuels for transportation. To achieve this, the two most common strategies are:
- To grow sugar crops (sugar cane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum[2]), or starch (corn/maize), and then use yeast fermentation to produce ethanol (ethyl alcohol).
- To grow plants that (naturally) produce oils, such as oil palm, soybean, algae, or jatropha. When these oils are heated, their viscosity is reduced, and they can be burned directly in a diesel engine, or the oils can be chemically processed to produce fuels such as biodiesel.
Wood and its byproducts can be converted into biofuels such as woodgas, methanol or ethanol fuel. Some researchers are working to improve these processes.
BIOFUEL STUFF
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- Biofuels Crops in Zero Gravity? - Growing biomass in space? That’s right. Right now an experiment is underway on the space station to see if microgravity can affect the growth of Jatropha curcas, a tropical flowering plant.
According to Popular Science ,
“This first-ever experiment to test a possible biofuel in microgravity aims to improve cell structure, growth and development in [...]
- Biodiesel Clears Senate Hurdle on the Back of Jobs Bill - It looks like the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel tax incentive could be close to renewal, as the jobs bill to which it was attached has cleared a key vote in the U.S. Senate. The vote came Tuesday as eight Republicans sided with 58 Democrats to end debate on the $150 billion measure. The cloture vote clears [...]
- Shipping Giant Maersk to Test Biodiesel - Dutch shipping giant Maersk Line is joining with Lloyd’s Register to test biodiesel in its marine engines for the next two years. This story from the Journal of Commerce says the feasibility study on the container ship Maersk Kalmar will be funded in part by the Dutch government: Using fatty acid methyl esters – a biodiesel product [...]
- Pilot Travel Centers Adds More E85 in TN - Pilot Travel Centers have added three more locations where Ethanol 85 can be purchased. They are Strawberry Plains Pike and Crossville locations in East Tennessee and in Dickson, Tenn., along Interstate 40 west of Nashville. Earlier locations were in Knoxville at Northshore Drive at Pellissippi Parkway, and Walker Springs Road. They offered the fuel beginning in 2007. E85 [...]
- Response to Expanded Biofuels Production Study - The National Research Council (NRC) is currently conducting an ongoing study on the impacts of expanded biofuel production. NRC, which is part of the National Academy of Sciences, hosted a workshop last week to receive feedback from people on both sides of the debate. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) represented the ethanol industry and Geoff [...]
- Soybean President Wants Biodiesel Tax Credit Back - During the general session of the 2010 Commodity Classic, American Soybean Association president Rob Joslin, who stressed the importance of getting the biodiesel tax credit back in place. “We need it now,” Joslin said. “It’s costing U.S. soybean farmers 25 cents for every bushel. On my 500 acres of soybeans, that’s over $6000 a year. [...]
- Industry Calls OPEC Report “Self Serving” - The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has come out today calling a recent OPEC report “self serving.” The report, co-written by the former Secretary General of the OPEC oil cartel, criticized biofuels while according to GRFA, ignoring the overwhelming evidence on the devastating impact of crude oil on the environment and on our economies. The [...]
- Vilsack Anticipates Approval of E15 - “I’m not troubled by getting it right as long as we get it right. And I think we’re headed in the right direction. I’m anticipating we’ll see some increase in the blend rate,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during a press conference at Commodity Classic when asked about EPA’s delaying the decision to increase [...]
- Expert: Algae Must Be Commercial Scale or Just Playing - A man who is considered to be the father of genomics says that if algae-based fuel makers can’t start making billions of gallons of fuel, they are just playing with investors’ money. This post on earth2tech.com says Craig Venter, the founder of synthetic biology startup Synthetic Genomics, made the remarks at the Wall Street Journal’s Economics [...]
- Advanced Biofuel Makers Call for Tax Credits - The advanced biofuels industry is putting a bug in Congress’ ear, calling for lawmakers to allow for an investment tax credit that will help advanced biofuels makers get money to get their projects up to commercial scale and become eligible for another operating credit. Biomass Magazine explains that the industry would be eligible for a federal [...]
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