Biofuel is a fuel that is produced by agriculture rather than from a geological process (such as fossil fuels), Biofuel can be deprived from plants or plant waste. There are three generations to biofuel. The first generation is biofuel that is made from food crops. Sugar, starch, and oil is taken from crops and converted into fuel such as ethanol or biodiesel. Biofuel is also classified as solid, liquids or evan a gas. The big question and debate is: should food be turned into biofuel? There are many advantages and disadvantages when using using biofuel. People who support the idea of turning food into biofuel argue that it helps with pollution of greenhouse gases, and they say it. People who argue against turning food into biofuel say it …show more content…
. Biofuel removes permanent soil cover and this can reduce organic substances in the soil and increase soil erosion. Removing the plants residu can take away nutrients in the soil and even increase greenhouse gas by losing carbon in the soil. The only way to prevent this for happening so fast is correct crop turning which many people do not do. Water is also affected by biofuel. Soil erosion and sedimentation and excess nutrion can runoff into surface areas and filter down into ground water. For example a large amount if nitrogen in the Mississippi river is huge reason for the ‘dead zone’: a oxygen starved area of the Gulf of Mexico where many types of marine lies can no longer live because they would not be able to survive. Another thing bad about food to fuel is water resources in many countries for agriculture purposes are becoming limited (and already 70% of the world's freshwater is being used for agriculture) because of industrial competitional use. Furthermore, places that already have some climate change such as low rainfall and runoff (Near East, North Africa and South Asia) can not afford to waste water on growing food to make into fuel. Biofuels may be healthier for the air, however, it is not healthy for the …show more content…
The first source I used was a very credible and reliable because it came from the national geographic website. The national geographic is a well respected organisation that always gives out truthful facts. It also had a lot of evidence to support its arguments The second source is an article done by the University of Cincinnati. It is a reliable and credible source because it comes a well known university. A university would not put out any false facts. The third source used was from a section of a government book of agriculture. Since it is a book done by the government it is very reliable and credible and has lots of evidence for any argument it makes. The fourth source I used was from Chris Peterson who has a doctorate and is the director for the Consumer Responsive Agriculture in Michigan. Being a person who has a doctorate and being a director of a big committee of a state would seem to make you reliable and credible. The fifth source is a good source because Ronald Bailey wrote it and he is a science writer and author and editor of books on ecology and and in the article he makes a lot of arguments to support his claim of biofuels not being good for the society and then gives plenty of evidence to support it. My final and sixth source is not that credible and reliable of a source it gives many arguments to support it claim of why biofuels are good but they do not give evidence to support the arguments. The author of the
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; ...
Ethanol production was developed in hopes of severing our ties with fossil fuels in favor of alternative energy, such as biofuels. Although, VOCs emissions are released during production of ethanol in a factory, the quality of air is greatly improved when burning ethanol versus fossil fuels. Burning ethanol instead of fossil fuels reduces the amount of cancer-causing greenhouse gases that go into the atmosphere. Ethanol production ranks at the bottom of industrial water usage, but is still not out of the woods with the abundance of water usage needed in corn feedstock and ethanol manufacturing and processing facilities. Many acres of land are needed to grow corn crops, however, many corn farmers are successful in growing more corn on less acreage.
Stauffer, Nancy. ”MIT ethanol analysis confirms benefits of biofuels.” Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. January 2007.
Introduction:The idea of biofuels is a old concept, reaching as far as the ending of the 19th century. Solid in its idea but flawed in its presentation. Biofuels are a alternative energy to fossil fuels that are made from natural methods such as plants and crops and are key in solving the apparent flaws of fossil fuels. While fossil fuels have been in use for over a century, Biofuels have now risen to the popularity and been exposed to the press. At one point of time biofuel were being considered by some of the most brilliant minds ever in human history such as Henry Ford and Rudolph Diesel who believed that biofuels had the potential to be the new evolution s on only to reappear a century later. Now the world faces the struggles of global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels slowly dimming by day. Throughout the last century biofuels have proven to have a place in our society as a new alternative fuel source. Specializing in Being Natural and healthier than fossil fuels, biofuels have had a rough beginning against its competitor due to key situations such as pricing, Side effects, to fuel power. However the idea was passed on a to the later generations, and continued to pasand prolong usage. However through the last decade they have been highly advertised by politicians and Government officials claiming it to be the future of a powerful working society, and to help in making a new energy free world. Through belief Some even claiming that “By 2050, a new generation of sustainable biofuels could provide over a quarter of the world’s total transport fuel, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency” (last name). With such improvement biofuels should be the obvious answer to providing a better future to th...
The writer Matt Ridley is a supporter of fossil fuels as is evident from this article as he praises the role of fossil fuels and
Seachinger, Timothy et al. “Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land Change.” Science AAAS. 2009. 21 May 2010
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.
Will, George F. "The Biofuel Follies. " Newsweek. 151.06 (Feb 11, 2008): 64. General Reference Center Gold. Gale. GILA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. 20 Feb. 2015
The main points I presented included whether or not to utilize alternative sources, such as: Geothermal, biofuels, or solar. Another stance on the topic is to remain using generic fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. The common ground would be to use both alternative sources and traditional fuels to sustain efficiency. There are multiple benefits to alternative sources. Benefits of biofuels include the fact that they can come from a variety of sources, such as plant materials, crops, and recycled vegetable oils, as per Christopher Cone of Science Progress stated. Another source is biodiesel, which replaces standard diesel. If utilized, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, secure energy supplies, and promote the standardization of renewable energy. More positives of alternative sources suggest possible tax exempts, lower costs overall, coming from domestic sources, and also the availability of blending with multiple sources at a time. Possible negatives include the disadvantage of being limited or refined by OEM companies (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and scarcity of refueling options. The Environmental Defense Fund suggests, “using alternative sources, as traditional fossil fuels are known to cause health concerns…” (EDF). These health concerns include toxic compounds attacking organs, causing brain damage, or possible death. In parts of the country where lakes and waterways have been contaminated with mercury from
Powlson DS, Riche AB, and Shield, I. (2005). Biofuels and other approaches for decreasing fossil fuel emissions from agriculture. Annals of Applied Biology, 146: pp. 193-201.
Diesel engines are an integral part of the economy and a part of our everyday lives. Accompany almost any of the goods we purchase daily and you will see a diesel engine in every step of its harvesting, manufacturing, or delivery. Take for example a shipment of American wheat that is destined for export overseas. Diesel engines power the tractors that are used for tilling, planting and harvesting. Diesel powered pumps are used to irrigate the fields and diesel trucks transport the wheat to a grain elevator for storage. From the grain elevator, diesel locomotives haul cars full of wheat to mills or even diesel powered barges that will in turn carry it to distant markets or ocean ports. At the ports, diesel powered equipment load the grain onto diesel powered vessels while diesel powered generators stand by to provide backup power to the docks and warehouses.
Some of the ways we try to combat Climate Change differes from region to region and culure to culture. One of the remedies that seems to be adapting all around the world is the use of biofuels instead of using fossil fuels. People believe that instead of digging up and using oil and petroleum, our best solution to combat greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels is to plant soybeans, sugar cane, palm oil and use that as a replacement. More cars are flex fuled, and use ethenol mixed with petroleum to lessen the use of oil since oil prices are only going to increase with the decreasing amount that is
More farmers are now planting crops for biofuel, resulting to an intense drop in food production. According to experts this promising alternative energy source is seemingly causing a global decrease of food supply. As the demand for biofuels increases, more industrialized countries are offering encouragements and subsidizing farmers to grow crops for fuel rather than for food. The biofuel production method was also anticipated to be carbon neutral, as the crops would absorb the carbon dioxide released when the biofuel was burned. However crops for fuel are now grown at such a rate that they need more energy to cultivate, grow and harvest. By the time it reaches households, it would have consumed more energy and released more greenhouse causing substances than the feared fossil fuels would have. The fact that emissions are released during production, processing, fertilizer application and as a result of land use change is highly ignored. Somehow biofuels can sidetrack less harmful and clean resources like renewable energies such as solar and wind energy. Large scale cultivation of biofuel crops, unlike small scale, locally produced and biofuel owned farms are commonly challenged by problems such as severe use of water, chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. These also often lead to pollution, depleting and degrading available water resources which can cause famines. According to contrary believe of analysts, it has also shown that there is not enough farming land on earth to produce biofuel crops to meet the huge energy needs encouraged by our current and unmaintainable ways of living. http://www.greenerideal.com/science/0516-biofuels/ &
They are less expensive than other fossil fuels and can be manufactured easier than fossil fuels and even take less time. They also emit less carbon into the air when they are burned decreasing the effects of air pollution. Additionally, they benefit the agricultural industry, increase self-sufficiency of countries and increase employment too. Conversely, they take up large areas of land that could be used to produce food and also a lot of water for irrigation but they are also expensive to manufacture. Green engines are also substitutes to fossil fuels based engines and they are highly beneficial as they can’t pollute the environment with their emissions and they can include hybrid cars. As bio fuels cost less hybrid cars or green cars have a less maintainer cost. They also are unlimited resources of energy. Yet, green engines are extremely expensive to produce and buy and they also require consumers to buy and change their engines completely, which hinders consumers from making this
Global warming is an extremely important and troubling aspect of the world’s current situation. This is due to the fact that the majority of the world’s energy production is from non-renewable energy sources, which are energy sources that either can not be naturally replenished or require thousands of years to be restored. Based on our current energy usage growth rates, there are an estimated 100 years left before our natural resource reserves are exhausted. (Non Renewable Natural Resources: How Much Is Left, Environmental Thinker) China alone consumes nearly as much coal as the combined usage of coal from the rest of the world. (US Energy Information Administration, China Consumes Nearly as Much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined) There is visible evidence of this happening with the increasing pollution levels. Carbon Dioxide and Methane pollution levels in the world reached a record high in 2012 and are 260% higher than the pre-industrial levels. (UN: CO2 Pollution Levels at a Record High, John Heilprin) Converting our world into a more renewable energy dependent society is the most advantageous and likely method for preserving our dwindling fossil fuel supply while also protecting the world that we call home.