Alternatives to conventional energy sources are becoming increasingly popular due to the many adverse effects they have on the planet. One of these alternative sources is biofuels, which seem to have a positive meaning in this area by their name. But do you know exactly what they are? What are they made of? What stage of development are they in right now? At EcologíaVerde we reveal all the details you need to know in this article in which we tell you what biofuels are , their advantages and disadvantages .
What are biofuels?
Biofuels , also known as biofuels , are mixtures of substances of organic origin that are used as fuels to obtain energy. They are derived from biomass , that is, from organic matter that originates and accumulates during biological processes such as photosynthesis.
The advantage of biofuels is that, in addition to being able to replace part of the consumption of fossil fuels, they reduce the impact produced by these, such as the levels of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by their combustion. In reality, the emission of CO2 is the same in both, the difference lies in the fact that in the production and development process the materials that will produce the biomass destined for biofuels absorb this CO2 produced.
Various plant species are used to obtain biofuels, such as:
- Soybeans.
- Corn.
- Sugar cane.
- Cassava.
- The sunflower.
- The eucalyptus.
- The palm trees.
- The pines.
- Algae oil.
Classification and examples of biofuels
Biofuels can be classified into three large groups depending on the raw material used and the production process: first, second and third generation biofuels .
- First generation biofuels : These are those that originate from agricultural crops used to obtain products for human consumption such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil such as palm oil or animal fats. The production systems are simpler and cheaper, however, they have serious limitations as they could endanger the food supply, as well as biodiversity.
- Second-generation biofuels : these arise in response to the high demand for biofuels and are obtained from lignocellulosic biomass, that is, woody or fibrous biomass. For this reason, although they represent a saving in emissions, their production is more expensive and complicated than that of first-generation biofuels. This group of biofuels is produced from crops that are not used for food or that are considered waste, such as used oil, stems, fruit peels, casings or pods, or wood chips.
- Third generation biofuels : These also come from the biomass of non-edible products or waste, but this category also includes microalgae. In this case, molecular biology techniques are used for their production.
Among the most popular, used and developed biofuels we can find:
- Bioethanol : is generated through the alcoholic fermentation of sugars found in some plant species such as sugar cane, beet or some cereal species.
- Biodiesel , on the other hand, is produced from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, canola oil, jatropha oil. Moreover, these plant species are cultivated in order to be used as biodiesel.
- Biopropanol or biobutanol : these two are less popular but research aims to develop them for use, together with bioethanol and biodiesel, as opposed to fossil fuels .
Advantages of biofuels
So far, biofuels seem to be good substitutes for our conventional fuels, which are harmful to our environment due to the large quantities used. Below we specify some of the advantages of biofuels :
- The cost of biofuels will be lower than that of gasoline or diesel once the technology used to generate them is more widely available. In addition, the cost of raw materials will be practically zero since they are waste.
- Production processes are more efficient; they consume and pollute less.
- It is a source that is much less limited than fossil fuels, which take thousands of years to generate.
- Employment is generated at the local level.
- Carbon and sulfur emissions are reduced.
- The amount of waste will decrease, as much of it can be used to produce these biofuels.
- The level of safety is higher in terms of handling and storage compared to fossil fuels.
Disadvantages of biofuels
Not everything was going to be an advantage. Like everything, biofuels also have their downside; their lesser-known side. In order not to give you a biased view on the matter, here are some of the reasons why, for many, these energy sources, despite being renewable, cannot be considered as “non-polluting” :
- Due to the nitrogen fertilizers used on agricultural fields, plant-based biofuels can lead to increased emissions of nitrogen oxides . In addition, this can lead to the contamination of groundwater with nitrites and nitrates.
- Biofuels provide less energy than fossil fuels in equal quantities, so much more feedstock is needed to match these energy levels.
- Some authors believe that the use of crop fields for plant species intended for biofuel puts crop fields for human food at risk, causing their price to rise.
- The need for larger areas of cultivation leads to the loss of forest areas , which consume CO2. Originally, the idea was to use the remains of agricultural activities, but as with everything, their promotion led to the destruction of natural areas to create these plantations.
- As with all agricultural activities, large amounts of water are needed to irrigate plant species.
- Fossil fuels are used in the production of biofuels, which paradoxically results in a positive balance of CO2 emissions for the time being, also taking into account the deforestation that is added to the production chain.
