Biofuels are renewable fuels made from biomass, such as corn, soybeans, and animal fats. Ethanol and biodiesel are the two most well-known biofuels. Ethanol is primarily used as a gasoline additive, but its production can lead to increased food prices and deforestation. Biodiesel is similar to petroleum-based diesel and can be made from soybeans, canola, or animal fat. However, the production process also poses environmental concerns. While renewable fuels are a good idea, there is debate about their impact and potential negative consequences.
Biofuels are a type of renewable fuel, usually present in liquid form, that has been distilled and produced from a variety of grains and animal fats. These elements, the basic compounds for biofuels, are referred to as biomass, the most popular being corn. Other forms of biomass can include barley, sugar cane, soybeans, canola and other traditional row crops. The two best known biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.
Ethanol is a clear alcohol that is virtually indistinguishable from the type of alcohol found in whiskey or beer. Its base is pure grain alcohol, identical in content to homemade liquors like moonshine or white lightning produced in well-hidden pot stills during America’s Prohibition era. As of 2009, ethanol is primarily used as a federally mandated gasoline additive. The stated purpose of ethanol production is to reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on both petroleum-based fuels and the countries that supply them.
However, there are questions regarding the environmental wisdom of increased ethanol production. While it is undoubtedly a renewable fuel, it uses large quantities of grains that were previously intended for the production of animal feed or food for direct human consumption. This has led to substantial global price increases in almost all commercially available foods, especially breads, cereals, pastas, pork, poultry and beef.
Additionally, as federal mandates for ethanol use expand, more forest land is being cleared for agricultural purposes. Since trees absorb carbon dioxide, harvesting them could lead to an even greater greenhouse effect. Last but not least, the increase in the production of biomass cereals leads to an increased use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and emissions from agricultural equipment.
Biodiesel is similar to ethanol in that it is a renewable liquid fuel, however it is most commonly created from soybeans, canola or animal fat. Unlike undiluted ethanol, which will destroy the rubber seals and gaskets in a standard automobile engine, biodiesel is very close in chemical composition to petroleum-based diesel. It can be mixed with this fuel or used as a direct substitute.
However, the biodiesel production process poses the same problems as ethanol in terms of reallocating food sources and converting forests and grasslands to agricultural use. While renewable fuels are certainly a wise idea, there is much debate about the positives and negatives of biofuels. While widely advertised as superior to petroleum-based fuels, they are far from clean. There are fears that biofuels, if produced in excess, could lead to an acceleration of the very problems they were meant to cure.
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