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Biofuel is any fuel that is derived from biomass — recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as manure from cows. It is a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. Image File history File links Circle-contradict. ... Biogas, typically refers to gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Butanol (butyl alcohol) is a higher alcohol with a 4 carbon atom structure and a general formula of C4H10O. There are 4 different isomeric structures for butanol (refer to box). ... Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), which can be used in unmodified diesel-engined vehicles. ... jecca is very beautiful!! Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment; with a focus on pollution and degradation of the environment related due to human activities; and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. ... Environmental technology or green technology is the application of the environmental sciences to conserve the natural environment and resources, and by curbing the negative impacts of human involvement. ... Before flue gas desulfurization was installed, the emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. ... An active compost heap, steaming on a cold winter morning. ... Conservation biology, or conservation ecology, is the science of protecting and managing Earths biological diversity. ... The conservation ethic is an ethic of resource use, allocation, exploitation, and protection. ... Ecoforestry is forestry that emphasizes holistic practices which strive to protect and restore ecosystems1 instead of traditional forestry that maximizes economic productivity. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ... // Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sustainable, accessible energy resources through knowledge, skills, and constructions. ... Environmental design is the process of addressing environmental parameters when devising plans, programs, policies, buildings, or products. ... Envirnonmental preservation is the strict setting aside of natural resources to prevent the use or contact by humans or by human intervention. ... Future energy development faces great challenges due to an increasing world population, demands for higher standards of living, demands for less pollution and a much-discussed end to fossil fuels. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sustainable architecture. ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... The international recycling symbol. ... Renewable energy is defined as energy derived from resources that are regenerative or for all practical purposes can not be depleted. ... Generally, remediation means giving a remedy. ... The following page contains a list of different forms of waste treatment Anaerobic digestion ArrowBio Composting Gasification Incineration In-vessel composting Landfill Mechanical biological treatment Mechanical heat treatment Plasma Pyrolysis Recycling Sewage treatment Tunnel composting UASB Windrow composting Categories: | ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sustainable development is an umbrella that attempts to bridge the divide between economic growth and environmental protection, while taking into account other issues traditionally associated with development. ... The following page consist of a list of waste water treatment technologies: Activated sludge Anaerobic digestion Anaerobic lagoon Cesspit Combined sewer overflow Composting toilet Constructed wetland Imhoff tank Floculation Reed bed Septic tank Sequencing batch reactor UASB Aerobic Granular Reactor This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... Water purification is the removal of contaminants from raw water to produce drinking water that is pure enough for human consumption or for industrial use. ... For the company, see Waste Management, Inc. ... Fuel is any material that is capable of releasing energy when its chemical or physical structure is changed or converted. ... |0. ... A crab is an example of an organism. ... Renewable energy is defined as energy derived from resources that are regenerative or for all practical purposes can not be depleted. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ...

One definition of biofuel is any fuel with an 80% minimum content by volume of materials derived from living organisms harvested within the ten years preceding its manufacture^{[citation needed]}.

Like coal and petroleum, biomass is a form of stored solar energy. The energy of the sun is "captured" through the process of photosynthesis in growing plants. (See also: Systems ecology) One advantage of biofuel in comparison to most other fuel types is it is biodegradable, and thus relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Solar power describes a number of methods of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. ... The leaf is the primary site of photosynthesis in plants. ... Systems Ecology is a transdiscipline which studies ecological systems, or ecosystems. ...

Sugar cane can be a biofuel

Agricultural products specifically grown for use as biofuels include corn and soybeans, primarily in the United States; as well as flaxseed and rapeseed, primarily in Europe; sugar cane in Brazil and palm oil in South-East Asia. Biodegradable outputs from industry, agriculture, forestry, and households can also be used to produce bioenergy; examples include straw, timber, manure, rice husks, sewage, biodegradable waste, and food leftovers. These feedstocks are converted into biogas through anaerobic digestion. Biomass used as fuel often consists of underutilized types, like chaff and animal waste. Sugar cane leaves File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Sugar cane leaves File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... Corn redirects here. ... Binomial name Glycine max Soybeans (US) or soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (Family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. ... Binomial name Linum usitatissimum L. Linnaeus, 17?? Common flax (also known as linseed) is a member of the Linaceae family, which includes about 150 plant species widely distributed around the world. ... Binomial name Brassica napus L. Rapeseed (Brassica napus), also known as Rape, Oilseed Rape, Rapa, Rapaseed and (one particular cultivar) Canola, is a bright yellow flowering member (related to mustard) of the family Brassicaceae. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A decidous beech forest in Slovenia. ... Bales of straw bundles of rice straw Pile of straw bales, sheltered under a tarpaulin Straw is an agricultural byproduct, the dry stalk of a cereal plant, after the nutrient grain or seed has been removed. ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... Animal manure is often a mixture of animals feces and bedding straw, as in this example from a stable. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species of grass (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and in Africa. ... Sewage is the liquid water produced by human society which typically contains washing water, laundry waste, faeces, urine and other liquid or semi-liquid wastes. ... Rotting fruit Biodegradable waste is a waste type which comprises of waste streams that are available for biodegradation. ... Biogas, typically refers to gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. ... Anaerobic digestion is the breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. ... Chaff is the seed casings and other inedible plant matter harvested with cereal grains such as wheat. ...

Much research is currently in progress into the utilization of microalgae as an energy source, with applications being developed for biodiesel, ethanol, methanol, methane, and even hydrogen. On the rise is use of hemp, although politics currently restrains this technology. A very scientific Chlorella farm. ... U.S. Marijuana production permit, from the film Hemp for Victory. ...

Energy Portal

Paradoxically, in some industrialized countries like Germany, food is cheaper than fuel compared by price per joule ^{[citation needed]}. Central heating units supplied by food grade wheat or maize are available. Image File history File links Portal. ... Robert Boyles self-flowing flask fills itself in this diagram, but perpetual motion machines cannot exist. ... A joule is the work done or energy required to exert a force of one newton for a distance of one metre, so the same quantity may be referred to as a newton metre or newton-metre with the symbol N·m. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ...

Biofuel can be used both for central- and decentralized production of electricity and heat. As of 2005, bioenergy covers approximately 15% of the world's energy consumption ^{[citation needed]}. Most bioenergy is consumed in developing countries and is used for direct heating, as opposed to electricity production. Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ...

The production of biofuels to replace oil and natural gas is in active development, focusing on the use of cheap organic matter (usually cellulose, agricultural and sewage waste) in the efficient production of liquid and gas biofuels which yield high net energy gain. The carbon in biofuels was recently extracted from atmospheric carbon dioxide by growing plants, so burning it does not result in a net increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. As a result, biofuels are seen by many as a way to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by using them to replace non-renewable sources of energy. Organic has several meanings and related topics. ... Cellulose as polymer of β-D-glucose Cellulose in 3D Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose [1][2]. It forms the primary structural component of green plants. ... Net Energy Gain is an important concept in energy economics, referring to the difference between the energy required to harvest the energy source against the energy provided by using that source. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... Layers of Atmosphere (NOAA) Air redirects here. ...

Noticeable is the fact that the quality of timber or grassy biomass does not have a direct impact on its value as an energy-source.

Dried compressed peat is also sometimes considered a biofuel. However, it does not meet the criteria of being a renewable form of energy, or of the carbon being recently absorbed from atmospheric carbon dioxide by growing plants. Though more recent than petroleum or coal, on the time scale of human industrialisation, peat is a fossil fuel and burning it does contribute to atmospheric CO₂. Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ...

History

Biofuel was used since the early days of the car industry. Nikolaus August Otto, the German inventor of the combustion engine, conceived his invention to run on ethanol. While Rudolf Diesel, the German inventor of the Diesel engine, conceived it to run on peanut oil. Henry Ford originally had designed the Ford Model T, a car produced between 1903 and 1926, to run completely on ethanol, after surreptitious efforts were successful at thwarting Ford's desires to mass produce electric cars. However, when crude oil began being cheaply extracted from deeper in the soil (thanks to oil reserves discovered in Pennsylvania and Texas), cars began using fuels from oil. Nikolaus August Otto (June 14, 1832 - January 28, 1891) was the coinventor of the internal-combustion engine. ... Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (March 18, 1858 – September 30, 1913) was a German inventor, famous for the invention of the Diesel engine. ... A Diesel engine built by MAN AG in 1906 Rudolf Diesels 1893 patent on his engine design The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine. ...

Nevertheless, before World War II, biofuels were seen as providing an alternative to imported oil in countries such as Germany, which sold a blend of gasoline with alcohol fermented from potatoes under the name Reichskraftsprit. In Britain, grain alcohol was blended with petrol by the Distillers Company Ltd under the name Discol and marketed through Esso's affiliate Cleveland. An Esso Station in Toronto Esso in Higashi-Osaka Esso is an international trade name used by ExxonMobil and its related companies. ...

After the War cheap Middle Eastern Oil lessened interest in biofuels. Then with the oil shocks of 1973 and 1979, there was an increase in interests from governments and academics in biofuels. However, interest decreased with the counter-shock of 1986 that made oil prices cheaper again. But since about 2000 with rising oil prices, concerns over the potential oil peak, greenhouse gas emissions (Global Warming), and instability in the Middle East are pushing renewed interest in biofuels. Government officials have made statements and given aid in favour of biofuels. For example, U.S. president George Bush said in his 2006 State of Union speech, that he wants for the United States, by 2025, to replace 75% of the oil coming from the Middle East. The Hubbert peak theory, also known as peak oil, is an influential theory concerning the long-term rate of conventional oil production and depletion. ... Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Examples of biofuels

Biologically produced alcohols

Biologically produced alcohols, most commonly ethanol and methanol, and less commonly propanol and butanol are produced by the action of microbes and enzymes through fermentation — see alcohol fuel. In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ... R-phrases , , S-phrases , , , , , Flash point 15 °C RTECS number UH8225000 Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... Butanol or butyl alcohol (sometimes also called biobutanol when produced biologically), is an alcohol with a 4 carbon structure and the molecular formula of C4H10O. It is primarily used as a solvent, as an intermediate in chemical synthesis, and as a fuel. ... A cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 times. ... Ribbon diagram of the enzyme TIM, surrounded by the space-filling model of the protein. ... Gasoline on the left, alcohol on the right at a filling station in Brazil Rising energy prices and environmental problems have led to increased interest in alcohol as a fuel. ...

• Methanol, which is currently produced from natural gas, can also be produced from biomass — although this is not economically viable at present. The methanol economy is an interesting alternative to the hydrogen economy.
• Biomass to liquid, synthetic fuels produced from syngas. Syngas in turn, is produced from biomass by gasification. [1]
• Ethanol fuel produced from sugar cane is being used as automotive fuel in Brazil. Ethanol produced from corn is being used mostly as a gasoline additive (oxygenator) in the United States, but direct use as fuel is growing. Cellulosic ethanol is being manufactured from straw (an agricultural waste product) by Iogen Corporation of Ontario, Canada; and other companies are attempting to do the same. ETBE containing 47% Ethanol is currently the biggest biofuel contributor in Europe.
• Butanol is formed by A.B.E. fermentation (Acetone, Butanol, Ethanol) and experimental modifications of the ABE process show potentially high net energy gains with butanol being the only liquid product. Butanol can be burned "straight" in existing gasoline engines (without modification to the engine or car), produces more energy and is less corrosive and less water soluble than ethanol, and can be distributed via existing infrastructures.
• Mixed Alcohols (e.g., mixture of ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, and heptanol, such as Ecalene^TM), obtained either by biomass-to-liquid technology (namely gasification to produce syngas followed by catalytic synthesis) or by bioconversion of biomass to mixed alcohol fuels.
• GTL or BTL both produce synthetic fuels out of biomass in the so called Fischer Tropsch process. The synthetic biofuel containing oxygen is used as additive in high quality diesel and petrol.

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... The methanol economy is a hypothetical future economy in which methanol fuel has replaced fossil fuels as a means of transportation of energy. ... A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical future economy in which energy, for mobile applications (vehicles, aircraft) and electrical grid load balancing (daily peak demand reserve), is stored as hydrogen (H2). ... Biomass to liquid (BTL) is a (multi step) process to produce liquid fuels out of biomass: It mainly aims at using the whole plant to improve the CO2 balance and the costs. ... It has been suggested that Town gas be merged into this article or section. ... For the water carbonator, see Gasogene. ... This article or section may contain external links that promote sites existing primarily to sell goods or services, having objectionable amounts of advertising, or requiring payment to view the relevant content — otherwise known as spam. ... For the magazine called automobile, see Automobile Magazine. ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Cellulosic ethanol is the type of ethanol that is produced from a great diversity of biomass including waste from urban, agricultural, and forestry sources. ... Iogen Corporation (sometimes called simply Iogen) is a Canadian company located in Ottawa, Ontario. ... Ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), is created by mixing ethanol and isobutene and reacting them with heat over a catalyst. ... Butanol or butyl alcohol (sometimes also called biobutanol when produced biologically), is an alcohol with a 4 carbon structure and the molecular formula of C4H10O. It is primarily used as a solvent, as an intermediate in chemical synthesis, and as a fuel. ... Clostridium acetobutylicum () is a commercially valuable bacterium, included in the genus Clostridium. ... Pentanol, more properly called 1-pentanol, is a higher alcohol with a five carbon atoms and a general formula of C5H11OH. H H H H H | | | | | H - C - C - C - C - C - OH | | | | | H H H H H Also see amyl alcohol. ... Hexanol is a higher alcohol with a six carbon atoms and a general formula of C6H14O. H H H H H H | | | | | | H - C - C - C - C - C - C - OH | | | | | | H H H H H H Categories: Stub | Alcohols ... Heptanol is a higher alcohol with a seven carbon atoms and a general formula of C7H16O. H H H H H H H | | | | | | | H - C - C - C - C - C - C - C - OH | | | | | | | H H H H H H H When methyl groups (Ch3) are added, this changes to 2-methyl... EcaleneTM is the trade mark name given to a mixture of alcohols, which may be used as fuel or as a fuel additive. ... Biomass to liquid (BTL) is a (multi step) process to produce liquid fuels out of biomass: It mainly aims at using the whole plant to improve the CO2 balance and the costs. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Catalysis. ... The bioconversion of biomass to mixed alcohol fuels can be accomplished using the MixAlco process. ... GTL is an abbreviation that may stand for one of the following terms: Gunning Transceiver Logic -- a type of electronic logic signalling Gas to liquid -- a refinery process Group Term Life - an American tax on employer-provided life insurance Category: ‪Three-letter acronym disambiguations‬ ... The term Below the line or Below-the-line can refer to: Below the line, an accounting term used in film or movie production Below the line, an advertising strategy In contract bridge points that count toward the 100 points needed to win the game are recorded below the line... Fischer-Tropsch Process for Synthetic Diesel Fuel The Fischer-Tropsch process is a catalyzed chemical reaction in which carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane are converted into liquid hydrocarbons of various forms. ...

Biologically produced gases

Biogas is produced by the process of anaerobic digestion of organic material by anaerobes. Biogas can be produced either from biodegradable waste materials or by the use of energy crops fed into anaerobic digesters to supplement gas yields. The solid output, digestate, can also be used as a biofuel. Organic material or organic matter is informally used to denote a material that originated as a living organism; most such materials contain carbon and are capable of decay. ... An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require oxygen. ... An energy crop is a non-edible plant domesticated for use in agriculture, considered as a group (e. ... Anaerobic digesters are used to create anaerobic, meaning without oxygen, conditions so that anaerobic bacteria can efficiently digest biomass, sewage or other organic matter. ... Acidogenic digestate produced from mixed municipal waste The anaerobic digestion produces two main products: digestate and biogas. ...

Biogas contains methane and can be recovered in industrial anaerobic digesters and mechanical biological treatment systems. Landfill gas is a less clean form of biogas which is produced in landfills through naturally occurring anaerobic digestion. Paradoxically if this gas is allowed to escape into the atmosphere it is a potent greenhouse gas. Methane is a significant and plentiful fuel which is the principal component of natural gas. ... Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) is a form of waste processing. ... A landfill compaction vehicle in operation A landfill, also known as a dump (US) or a tip (UK), is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ...

Biologically produced oils and gases can be produced from various wastes:

• Thermal depolymerization of waste can extract methane and other oils similar to petroleum.
• GreenFuel Technologies Corporation has developed a patented bioreactor system that utilizes nontoxic photosynthetic algae to take in smokestacks flue gases and produce biofuels such as biodiesel, biogas and a dry fuel comparable to coal.^[1]

Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is a process for the reduction of complex organic materials (usually waste products of various sorts, often known as biomass) into light crude oil. ... GreenFuel Technologies Corporation (GFT) is an MIT startup that has developed a process of growing and harvesting algae using emissions from fossil fuel combustion. ...

Biologically produced oils

Biologically produced oils can be used in diesel engines. Biologically produced crude oil can be refined into kerosene, pertroleum, diesel and other fractions. Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ) or crude oil is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ...

• Straight vegetable oil (SVO).
• Waste vegetable oil (WVO) — waste cooking oils and greases produced in quantity mostly by commercial kitchens
• Biodiesel obtained from transesterification of animal fats and vegetable oil, directly usable in petroleum diesel engines.
• Biologically derived Crude oil is produced together with biogas and carbon solids via the thermal depolymerization of complex organic materials including non oil based materials (for example waste products such as old tyres, offal, wood and plastic).
• Pyrolysis oil may be produced out of biomass, wood waste etc. using heat only in the flash pyrolysis process. The oil has to be treated before using in conventional fuel systems or internal combustion engines (water + pH).

Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) is a fuel for diesel engines that can be either pure new vegetable oil or waste vegetable oil that has been cleaned, although this is normally referred to as WVO. Vegetable oil used as fuel in a compression ignition or diesel engine is also referred to... Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) is vegetable oil that has become unfit for food preparation. ... Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), which can be used in unmodified diesel-engined vehicles. ... In organic chemistry, transesterification is the process of exchanging the alkoxy group of an ester compound by another alcohol. ... Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with cooking oil. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ) or crude oil is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Biogas, typically refers to gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is a process for the reduction of complex organic materials (usually waste products of various sorts, often known as biomass) into light crude oil. ... // Definition Pyrolysis oil is under investigation as substitute for mineral oil. ... Simple sketch of pyrolysis chemistry Pyrolysis usually means the chemical decomposition of organic materials by heating in the absence of oxygen or any other reagents, except possibly steam. ...

Solid biofuels

Examples include wood, charcoal, and dried dung

Applications of biofuels

One widespread use of biofuels is in home cooking and heating. Typical fuels for this are wood, charcoal, or dried dung. The biofuel may be burned on an open fireplace or in a special stove. The efficiency of this process may vary widely, from 10% for a well made fire (even less if the fire is not made carefully) up to 40% for a custom designed charcoal stove¹. Inefficient use of fuel is a cause of deforestation (though this is negligible compared to deliberate destruction to clear land for agricultural use) but more importantly it means that more work has to be put into gathering fuel, thus the quality of cooking stoves has a direct influence on the viability of biofuels. A stove is a heat-producing device. ... Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest land use such as arable land, urban use, logged area or wasteland. ...

"American homeowners are turning to burning corn in special stoves to reduce their energy bills. Sales of corn-burning stoves have tripled this year [...] Corn-generated heat costs less than a fifth of the current rate for propane and about a third of electrical heat"^[2]

Transport

Biodiesel and bioethanol are widely used in automobiles and freight vehicles. For example, in Germany most diesel on sale at gas stations contains a few percent biodiesel, and many gas stations also sell 100% biodiesel[2] -- this is typically cheaper than conventional petroleum diesel because of German tax breaks. Some supermarket chains in the UK such as Tesco have switched to running their freight fleets on 50% biodiesel, and often include biofuels in the vehicle fuels they sell to consumers[3], and many gas stations also sell 100% biodiesel. Biodiesel can be used in the majority of diesel vehicles without requiring any modification to the vehicle.

Direct electricity generation

The methane in biogas is often pure enough to pass directly through gas engines to generate green energy. Anaerobic digesters or biogas powerplants convert this renewable energy source into electricity. This can either be used commercially or on a local scale. Anaerobic digesters are used to create anaerobic, meaning without oxygen, conditions so that anaerobic bacteria can efficiently digest biomass, sewage or other organic matter. ... Biogas Powerplant Small Gas turbines (GT) can be powered by Biogas and create free Steam and hotwater . ...

Home use

Different combustion-engines are being produced for very low prices lately ^{[citation needed]}. They allow the private house-owner to utilize low amounts of "weak" compression of methane to generate electrical and thermal power (almost) sufficient for a well insulated residential home.

Biomass in Developing Country Households

Unfortunately, much cooking with biofuels is done indoors, without efficient ventilation, and using fuels such as dung causes airborne pollution. This can be a serious health hazard; 1.3 million deaths were attributed to this cause by the International Energy Agency in its World Energy Outlook 2006. There are various responses, such as improved stoves (including those with inbuilt flues) and switching to alternative fuel sources. Most of these responses have difficulties. One is that fuels are expensive and easily damaged. Another is that alternative fuels tend to be more expensive, but the people who rely on biofuels often do so precisely because they cannot afford alternatives. ³ Organizations such as Intermediate Technology Development Group work to make improved facilities for biofuel use and better alternatives accessible to those who cannot currently get them. This work is done through improving ventilation, switching to different uses of biomass such as the creation of biogas from solid biomatter, or switching to other alternatives such as micro-hydro power. Many environmentalists are concerned that first growth forest may be felled in countries such as Indonesia to make way for palm oil plantations, driven by rising demand for diesel in SE Asia and Europe. The International Energy Agency (IEA, or AIE in Romance languages) is a Paris-based intergovernmental organization founded by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the oil crisis. ... A flue is a pipe or channel for conveying exhaust gases from a fireplace, furnace, boiler, or generator. ... Practical Action - the working name of Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) – is a charity registered in the United Kingdom which works directly in four regions of the developing world – Latin America, East Africa, Southern Africa and South Asia, with particular concentration on Peru, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka... Hydropower (or waterpower) harnesses the energy of moving or falling water. ...

Direct biofuel

Direct biofuels are biofuels that can be used in existing unmodified petroleum engines. Because engine technology changes all the time, exactly what a direct biofuel is can be hard to define; a fuel that works without problem in one unmodified engine may not work in another engine. In general, newer engines are more sensitive to fuel than older engines, but new engines are also likely to be designed with some amount of biofuel in mind.

Straight vegetable oil can be used in some (older) diesel engines. Only in the warmest climates can it be used without engine modifications, so it is of limited use in colder climates. Most commonly it is turned into biodiesel. No engine manufacturer explicitly allows any use of vegetable oil in their engines.

Biodiesel can be a direct biofuel. In some countries manufacturers cover many of their diesel engines under warranty for 100% biodiesel use, although Volkswagen Germany, for example, ask drivers to make a telephone check with the VW environmental services department before switching to 100% biodiesel (see biodiesel use). Many people have run thousands of miles on biodiesel without problem, and many studies have been made on 100% biodiesel. In many European countries, 100% biodiesel is widely used and is available at thousands of gas stations[4][5]. Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), which can be used in unmodified diesel-engined vehicles. ...

Butanol is often claimed as a direct replacement for gasoline. It is not in wide spread production at this time, and engine manufacturers have not made statements about its use^{[verification needed]}. While on paper (and a few lab tests) it appears that butanol has sufficiently similar characteristics with gasoline such that it should work without problem in any gasoline engine, no widespread experience exists. Butanol may be used as a fuel in an internal combustion engine. ...

Ethanol is the most common biofuel, and over the years many engines have been designed to run on it. Many of these could not run on regular gasoline. It is open to debate if ethanol is a direct replacement in these engines though - they cannot run on anything else. In the late 1990's engines started appearing that by design can use either fuel. Ethanol is a direct replacement in these engines, but it is debatable if these engines are unmodified, or factory modified for ethanol^{[verification needed]}.

Small amounts of biofuel are often blended with traditional fuels. The biofuel portion of these fuels is a direct replacement for the fuel they offset, but the total offset is small. For biodiesel, 5% or 20% are commonly approved by various engine manufacturers^{[citation needed]}. See Common ethanol fuel mixtures for information on ethanol. Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and methanol (methyl alcohol) are two types of alcohol fuels. ...

International efforts

On the other hand, recognizing the importance of bioenergy and its implementation, there are international organizations such as IEA Bioenergy,^[3] established in 1978 by the International Energy Agency (IEA), with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programs in bioenergy research, development and deployment. The International Energy Agency (IEA, or AIE in Romance languages) is a Paris-based intergovernmental organization founded by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the oil crisis. ...

The European Union has set a goal for 2008 that each member state should achieve at least 5.75% biofuel usage of all used traffic fuel. By 2006 it looks like most of the members states will not meet this goal. 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Energy content of biofuel

For a comprehensive chart of energy contents from different biofuels please see Energy content of Biofuel While all CO2 gas output ratios are calculated to within a less than 1% margin of error (assuming total oxidation of the carbon content of fuel), ratios preceded by a Tilde (~) indicate a margin of error of up to (but no greater than) 9%. Ratios listed do not include emissions...

Gasoline on the left, alcohol on the right at a filling station in Brazil Rising energy prices and environmental problems have led to increased interest in alcohol as a fuel. ... A very scientific Chlorella farm. ... Anaerobic digestion is the breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. ... The United States used biofuel in the beggining of the 20st century. ... Biogas Powerplant Small Gas turbines (GT) can be powered by Biogas and create free Steam and hotwater . ... Bioheat is a blend of biofuel and heating oil (or No. ... Heating oil, or burning oil, also known in the United States as No. ... Simple sketch of pyrolysis chemistry Pyrolysis usually means the chemical decomposition of organic materials by heating in the absence of oxygen or any other reagents, except possibly steam. ... The Global Biosphere:a false-color composite of CZCS images of plankton concentrations with land vegetation data collected by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer instrument. ... A by-product is a secondary or incidental product deriving from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction, and is not the primary product or service being produced. ... While all CO2 gas output ratios are calculated to within a less than 1% margin of error (assuming total oxidation of the carbon content of fuel), ratios preceded by a Tilde (~) indicate a margin of error of up to (but no greater than) 9%. Ratios listed do not include emissions... An energy crop is a non-edible plant domesticated for use in agriculture, considered as a group (e. ... Gasoline on the left, alcohol on the right at a filling station in Brazil In Brazil, ethanol fuel is produced from sugar cane which is a more efficient source of fermentable carbohydrates than corn as well as much easier to grow and process. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... For the common automotive term of hybrid vehichle see: Petroleum electric hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle (HV) is a vehicle that uses two distinct power sources such as : an on-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fueled power source for vehicle propulsion Human powered bicycle with battery assist... Sequel, a fuel cell powered vehicle from General Motors A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle, such as an automobile or aircraft, which uses hydrogen as its primary source of power for locomotion. ... Olive oil The following is intended to be a comprehensive list of oils that are extracted from plants. ... Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) is a form of waste processing. ...

See also

• Proposed oil phase-out in Sweden
• Ecological sanitation

Crude oil prices, 2004-2006 (not adjusted for inflation) In 2005 the Swedish government announced their intention to become the first country to break their countrys dependence on oil and other ‘fossil raw materials’ by 2020 [1]. As of 2005, oil supplies provided about 32% of the countrys... Ecological Sanitation One person produces about 500 litres of urine and only 50 litres of faeces per year. ...

References

1. ^ http://www.greenfuelonline.com/
2. ^ http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/09/051209141924.flu6l9pn.html
3. ^ http://www.ieabioenergy.com/IEABioenergy.php

1. Biomass Technical Brief, Simon Ekless, Intermediate Technology Development Group, retrieved 1 January 2005 from http://www.itdg.org/docs/technical_information_service/biomass.pdf.
2. Cellulosic Ethanol vs. Biomass Gasification, 22 October 2006, retrieved 19 November 2006 from http://i-r-squared.blogspot.com/2006/10/cellulosic-ethanol-vs-biomass.html
3. Smoke — the killer in the kitchen, Intermediate Technology Development Group, 19 March 2004, retrieved 1 January 2005 from http://www.itdg.org/?id=smoke_report_1
4. Reducing exposure to indoor air pollution, Intermediate Technology Development Group, 19 March 2004, retrieved 1 January 2005 from http://www.itdg.org/?id=smoke_report_3
5. Biofuels Crop Index

January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ...

External links

• Alternative Fuels Portal
• Anaerobic Digestion from Municipal Waste
• Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century
• Biofuelwatch
• Circle Biodiesel & Ethanol
• Biomass
• "Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry", a 2005 joint study sponsored by the United States Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture
• Educational Web Site for Biomass and Bioenergy the oldest source of energy used by humans
• Domesticfuel.com
• Ghent Bio Energy Valley
• IEA Bioenergy
• IEA Bioenergy - Task 29
• National Non Food Crops Centre
• PEFI Alcohol Process Development & Demonstration (Ecalene^TM)
• Russian National Biofuels Association
• What is Biodiesel
• Wood Energy Organisation Informations about energy out of wood
• Biofuel Crops: Power to the Poor

Sustainability and Development of Energy   Edit Conversion | Development and Use | Sustainable Energy | Conservation | Transportation

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ... The United States Department of Agriculture (also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA) is a United States Federal Executive Department (or Cabinet Department). ... Image File history File links Crystal_128_energy. ... In physics and engineering, energy conversion is any process of converting energy from one form to another. ... // Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sustainable, accessible energy resources through knowledge, skills, and constructions. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ...

Further reading

• The Potential of Bagasse-Based Cogeneration in the US, Kevin Ho, Columbia University, 2006.