Bio-Fuels
Bio-fuels are formed when biological matter decomposes. The bio-fuels are most often derived from plants. Bio-fuels exist in all of the three states of matter: as a solid, liquid, and/or gas.
Difference between bio-fuels and fossil fuels
Bio-fuels are different from fossil fuels in the following significant ways:
- Fossil fuels take millions of years to build up whereas bio-fuels can be made extremely fast, in a matter of just days.
- Fossil fuels generate huge amounts of pollution, during production, extraction and in final end uses. Bio-fuels are considered comparatively safer.
- Bio-fuels are renewable sources of energy unlike fossil fuels that were created eons ago.
Different types of bio-fuels
Bio-fuels are categorized into four types: first generation, second generation, third generation, and fourth generation.
The first generation bio-fuels are derived from vegetable fats, starches, and sugars, which in are turn derived from food-crop sources. First generation fuels can be derived from animal fats also. Bio-gas, bio-diesel, vegetable and recycled restaurant oil are some examples of this type of bio-fuels.
The second generation of bio-fuels, derived from waste biomass, makes it a more balanced option compared to the first-generation bio-fuels. Various kinds of alcohols and diesel generated from wood fall into this category of second generation bio-fuels.
The third generation of bio-fuels is derived from algae. Algae can be farmed on a large scale for creating these bio-fuels. The algae fuels are extremely environment-friendly as they can easily decompose into the soil without harming it and may in some cases be beneficial. This is a research field that is rapidly expanding.
Fourth generation bio-fuels are derived by a method in which micro-organisms are combined with carbon dioxide to generate fuel.
Some advantages
Bio-fuels have proven advantageous in the following ways:
- Bio-fuels lessen the demand on rapidly-vanishing fossil fuels.
- Bio-fuels are considered more environmentally friendly. They can help reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
- Bio-fuels, and especially bio-diesel, have proven to be very cost-effective for consumers.
Some disadvantages
Bio-fuels are not lacking for critics. Though considered beneficial for the environment, bio-fuels have its disadvantages. Bio-fuels have received criticism for many reasons, some of which are stated below:
- Economists have long debated on the usefulness of first generation bio-fuels when compared to the lack of food they cause. Generating fuels from what are normally considered food crops (corn, etc) reduces available space for other food crops, as well as decreasing the amount produced for human consumption. Some believe that people should be a higher priority than fuel, and therefore food should not be farmed for making fuels but only for human consumption.
- Making bio-fuels requires many acres of farming land, thus encroaching upon the natural habitat of plants and animals, which are already under tremendous pressure from expanding human populations.