Biodiesel Fuel
The biggest problem the United States faces today when we talk about becoming energy independent is replacing the gas we use to power our vehicles. When we talk about replacing gasoline as the fuel we use to power our vehicles, biomass, hydrogen, and fuel cells are the three most talked about alternatives. Biomass, which is organic material made from plants and animals, contains stored energy from the sun. Biomass in the form of bio fuels can be used to make the same products as those we make from fossil fuels. Its main advantages over fossil fuels are that bio fuels are better for the environment and can be produced right here in the United States. Although some experts complain that bio fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is a greenhouse gas that causes global warming, they are actually carbon dioxide neutral. This is because the growing of the plants used in biomass production take in as much carbon dioxide as the bio fuels let out. Some experts as well as lobbyist for the farming industry are pushing ethanol from corn as the replacement for gasoline. While we believe every alternative to gasoline should be explored, using corn to produce ethanol is not a good idea. There are many reasons for this reasoning. First of all producing ethanol from corn is energy negative. This means it takes more energy in the process of growing, cultivating, harvesting, and transporting of the corn used in the production of ethanol and in the converting of the corn to ethanol than the energy we would get out of the end product. In fact some experts believe it takes up to seventy percent more energy to convert corn to ethanol than the energy we get from it. Also using corn to make ethanol would deplete our food supply of corn. Already ethanol plants consume twelve percent of our nation’s corn production with very modest reductions in our oil consumption. Since corn is used in many of the foods and drinks we consume daily, from cereals to high fructose corn syrup which is used in soda and candy, we would be setting ourselves up for a disaster when corn supplies dwindle and we are forced to choose between the food we need to survive and the fuel we need to power our vehicles. Ethanol also has less energy per volume than gasoline. If we are going to use ethanol as a replacement for gasoline, it would be better to use waste byproducts to produce ethanol.
The U.S. government spends billions of dollars every year subsidizing corn production, livestock feed, processed foods, and ethanol production account for the greatest uses of corn in the United States. Supplying the livestock and processed food industries with cheap corn ultimately leads to an American diet that is heavily based on the consumption of meat and sugary processed foods. This diet is thought to contribute to America’s obesity epidemic. Corn subsidies also encourage production of ethanol. Ethanol may be no better than fossil fuels because of the required energy inputs and the environmental damage caused by its production.
With the fuel crisis that is happening in the world today it is now more important than ever to begin the look towards alternative fuel sources. One smart step for the US would be to wean the country slowly off of the gasoline fix and to look into alternative fuels to replace the “never coming back” fossil fuels. It turns out that Ethanol as a hybrid fuel proves to be a notable candidate for this gasoline intervention, per say. Now the United States is currently looking to subsidize fossil fuel alternatives. However, before considering ethanol production as a governmental subsidy, using large amounts of hard earned tax payer money, there has to be many alternative factors that come into play such as making sure the pros out weight the cons as far as environmental benefits and performance output and not to mention looking at the entire matter from an economic or investment perspective. First we need to consider what the ethanol we are talking about actually is and how can we obtain it.
As stated earlier, the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy is one of the largest contributors to global warming. This non-environmentally friendly energy source has to be replaced in order to keep the world going. There is a type of energy source that seems easy to create and doesn’t require radical changes: Biofuels. Biofuels are a greener version of diesel and oil. They are any solid, liquid, or gas fuels produced from organic matter; the range of organic materials used for biofuel production includes plants such as corn, sugar cane, soy, and wheat; vegetable oils and animal fats; ...
Did you know that you can receive a maximum of a $7,500 tax credit for just owning an electric or hybrid vehicle? The United States government values citizens that buy fuel efficient vehicles because it gets the United States one step closer to not buying outsourced oil (Jones par.14). Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that are mostly powered by gasoline, but switch over to electric at stop signs or at coasting speeds. Electric cars are cars that are solely powered by electric from start up to shut down (Motavalli par. 6). Most cars and trucks on the road today are powered by gasoline or diesel engines, which are expensive to operate, bad for the environment, and use resources that are non renewable. To achieve better fuel economy, lower operation cost, reduce the pollution on the environment, and operate vehicles with renewable resources, this world needs to take a better look at using alternative fuels to power vehicles. Alternative fuels for motor vehicles are better for the environment, are renewable resource, and are cheaper for consumers.
Given the amount of resources that the world as a whole has access to why use corn as a source of fuel? Some would say that countries, such as the United States have an overabundance of food produce. Logically, those countries that have an over surplus of food MUST have enough to put a dent into the rapidly increasing costs of oil and gasoline. Unfortunately, that is a misconception. In order to produce enough corn to fuel the global economy it is important to analyze what that actually means for farmers and the government, not to mention the actual food supply. In order to produce corn ethanol, we must first grow an abundance of corn. Simple right? Wrong, corn is very draining on the soil it is grown, which, in short, means that whomever is growing the corn would have to rotate the corn plantation with something that will restore the nutrients of the soil. Unfortunately, that takes both time and money to do. The task would cal...
“Air pollution in the United States continues to harm people’s health and the environment”(EPA).Many people are burning an immense amount of money every year and they do not even know it. People choose a gasoline powered engine over a diesel engine because they think its cheaper. However diesel owners save a vast amount of money every year. Diesel is not what it used to be, it has gradually changed over the years. Ultra low sulfur fuel is being used as alternative fuel to make a diesel engine clean. Diesel engines are the best choice because they save money and it is better for the environment.
Gasoline and the economy, the impact it has on the society. The current gas prices have a larger impact on consumer spending, however not so much on the percent of gasoline purchased, after all people still have to drive themselves places. (consumer psychologist.com) A major increase in cost will be necessary to lessen the quantity demanded. Gasoline is too costly and harmful to the economy and the environment thereby society needs to find alternative fuels, which best serve, the society.
Biodiesel is considered an environmentally friendly alternative because it reduces the amount many toxic substances. Plants such as soybeans require carbon dioxide from the air to produce their stems, roots and leaves. During biodiesel production from soybean oil, carbon dioxide is produced and released in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is considered a green house gas (GHG). However, this cycle of GHG emission does not neccersarily contribute to the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This is because the next soybean crop will reuse the carbon dioxide emitted for its growth. Another important environmental benefit is that biodiesel reduces particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. These benefits occur because biodiesel contains 11% oxygen by weight. Oxygen allows the fuel to burn better, resulting in fewer emissions from unburned fuel. And lastly, biodiesel fuels do not contain any sulfur and does not have an unpleasant smell when it is emitted from vehicles.
Ethanol as a vehicle fuel is not a new concept. Henry Ford designed the framed Model T to run on alcohol, he said it was “the fuel of the future”. The oil companies thought otherwise, however the oil crisis of the early 1970s gave ethanol fuel the new lease of life. More than two trillion miles have been driven on ethanol blended fuels in the United States since 1980. Ethanol can save our future children generations of work by keeping our planet clean and prevent warfare.
...her combination of intoxicant. There are several better plants to use, sugar cane and algae all produce far more ethanol than corn does. Keep in mind that running on electric sometimes is better than running on gas all of the time, But to see for yourself go down to the car dealership and ask for yourself.
A surprising fact is that most of the corn we produce in the United States is not actually eaten. In 2008 the United States produced a total of 12.1 million bushels of maize. Of that 5.2 million was used as livestock feed, 3.6 million for ethanol production, 1.8 million for exporting, .9 million for production of starch, sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and oils, and finally .3 million for human consumption in grits, flour, alcohol, etc.
Corn is also grown widely with the intent of producing ethanol (fuel for vehicles), and for livestock feed. Other than being the staple food in countries like Mexico, China, parts of Australia, New Zealand and India, Corn has been extensively processed to meet the demands of the food
In conclusion, biofuels are quickly becoming the future source of fuel to run vehicles and equipment. Biofuels has many disadvantages, but the advantages significantly outweigh them. Nobody has a definite answer on how to fix the growing fuel and oil crisis of today, but biofuels absolutely has promise.
Fuel alternatives for the future are very important because, we need resources for life. We won’t have fossil fuels forever. It is important to start now. If we did not have any fuel alternatives how would the world be?
Biodiesel is a non-petroleum based abettor ammunition which consists of the address alkyl esters of continued alternation blubbery acids acquired from renewable lipid sources. Biodiesel is about produced through the acknowledgment of a vegetable oil or beastly fat with booze in the attendance of a agitator to crop glycerin and biodiesel (chemically alleged methyl esters).