Biofuels could be a sustainable energy source over the long term if they are produced and used in a responsible and well-planned manner when all the pros and cons of biofuels versus fossil fuels are considered. Increases Pollution in contrast to wind and solar 10. 1. According to studies, the levels of carbon dioxide emissions and particulate matter are reduced with biofuels, however, the nitrogen oxides are slightly higher than at fossil fuels [1]. What are the economic advantages of using biofuels? It may produce 100 gallons of the fuel out of one season's crop. This lessens the risk of respiratory illnesses due to reduced air pollution. As the demand for biofuels increases, it is also possible that they will become cheaper in the future. (Jan. 14, 2011)http://www.environmentmagazine.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/November%202007/Naylor-Nov07-full.html, Pimentel, David and Tad W. Patzek. Feeding aquatic organisms from such contaminated water can lead to their death, as the oxygen in these waters is reduced and toxins are introduced into it. A Lack of Food 5. Under this vision, biofuel crops would remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and energy facilities would capture the carbon dioxide given off as biofuels are burned to generate power. The production, distribution, and use of biofuels can create jobs in a variety of sectors that will support the production and use of this sustainable alternative. In 2013 Enerkem plans to open a plant there, too, with the help of $130 million in taxpayer funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy. One way is through direct competition for land, water, and other resources. Long-time monoculture farms have to use much more artificial fertilizer than their more sustainable peers, increasing water pollution. One way to counter this lies in simple diplomacy: The globalization of world commerce means that it's now easier than ever to move food supplies from one part of the world to another in response to increased demand. Its application in transport industry would cut a big part of the air pollution originating from this growing industry [2]. Future Price Growth 8. The advantages and disadvantages of HYV seeds are shown in the table below: Biofuels Biofuels are any kind of fuel manufactured from living things or from waste. Less carbon emissions . Hundreds -- even thousands -- of unbroken acres of one crop offer an irresistible target for plant pests; pest populations can explode beyond control in such a tempting environment. The energy that is obtained from biofuels is known as bioenergy. However, it is important to carefully evaluate the environmental impacts of biofuels in order to ensure that they are being used in the most sustainable and responsible way possible. Researchers are investigating ways to genetically engineer less thirsty crops, and carefully planning what biofuel crops to plant in a given region can mitigate this problem [source: Lau]. The production and use of biofuels generates significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than the production and use of highly polluting fossil fuels. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like When considering large scale hydropower the disadvantage causing the LEAST environmental impact would be Decreased of flow of silt and sand to natural downstream deposits Disruption of the life cycle of anadromous and endemic fish Flooding of upstream habitat Change of job sources in the area, When a mineral resource is too deep . 1 Feb. 2011. Converting from one fuel to the other, in some cases, needs a set of new injectors, gaskets, and fuel lines. The problem is even worse for pure vegetable oil, used as fuel in so-called "greasecars." It takes biomass and turns it into a clean-burning fuel. Web. As an alternative source of energy, they also reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, minimizing or emitting negative effects that come with the use of this polluting and limited source that has been powering our economies since the industrial revolution but has also brought about increased pollution levels and emissions of greenhouse gases. What does it mean? Uses land that could be used to grow food. Thanks for reading Scientific American. This is not the selective breeding they have followed for years; genetically modified crops are developed in the laboratory to tolerate herbicides better, fight off pests, and higher yields. This one relates to the little multicolored maps on the backs of seed packets. The development of a biofuels industry has great potential to stimulate economic development in rural areas with less job possibilities by creating new markets for crops and other agricultural products. Being forced to import oil creates problems for their economy. Required fields are marked *. Even solar energy, the long-touted saviour of the ever expanding human appetite for energy is decades away from being feasible on a large scale and without the impact that comes from manipulating toxic chemicals into PV panels. Furthermore, biofuels can also be more expensive to produce than fossil fuels, which can make them less competitive in the market and discourage investment in the biofuel industry. Biomass production uses a lot of water 5. But biofuels aren't completely cost-free. April 2009. 6. Another way in which biofuel production can compete with food production is through the use of food crops, such as corn, as feedstocks for biofuels rather than spending resources on processing corn for human consumption. By using biofuels as an alternative energy source, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which can help to reduce our impact on the environment and contribute to a more sustainable energy system that is more locally based. Additionally, they have a higher viscosity than fossil fuels, which can eventually lead to clogging or damage of fuel filters, injectors, and pumps. It may cause food scarcity because of the lucrative prices of bioethanol some farmers may sacrifice food crops for Biofuel production 3. Manure and other animal waste can be converted to sustainably meet the energy needs of the farm. (2022 Guideline). Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. With the removal of impurities from biogas, biomethane is produced. ), which scientists call biomass. Ethanol-makerand oil refinerValero Energy Corp. has also invested in Enerkem. and environmental chaos ensued. "It's a pittance being spent on reducing our dependence on oil than putting our boys in harm's way overseas," says Coskata's Wesley Bolsen, chief marketing officer and vice president for government affairs. Biodiesel is less efficient than gasoline Biomass: Should we focus on more eco-friendly renewable energy? As a renewable energy source, plant-based biofuels in principle make little net contribution to global warming and climate change; the carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) that enters the air during combustion will have been removed from the air earlier as growing plants engage in photosynthesis. There will come a time when they will . "The business of ethanol is a very substantial market opportunity," Chornet says. Unlike the first-generation ethanol biofuel produced from food crops, second-generation cellulosic ethanol is derived from low-value biomass that possesses a high cellulose content, including wood chips, crop residues, and municipal waste. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. All Rights Reserved. However, the cost of biofuel production has been decreasing in recent years due to advancements in technology and economies of scale. Water Usage 7. Nitrogen added to drinking water can cause health problems, like methemoglobinemia, a disease that prevents infants from using the oxygen in their blood. For example, bioethanol and biodiesel have a higher tendency to absorb moisture than fossil fuels, which can cause corrosion in fuel systems and engines. Biofuels, on the other hand, are produced from biological materials, which are generally considered to be cleaner-burning than fossil fuels. Loss of natural habitat can change the hydrology, increase erosion, and generally reduce biodiversity of wildlife areas. : Premium Gasoline Delivers Premium Benefits to Your Car. Moisture is more likely to be absorbed by biofuels than fossil diesel, which causes problems in cold weather. There are four generations of biofuels based on how they are made. As a breeding ground for bacteria and other contaminants, landfills can allow pollution to contaminate the land, sea and air. The production cost per liter of ethanol is still high compared . . Compared to petroleum-based gasoline, ethanol is a less effective fuel. You may think that biofuels are used mainly in transport, but thats not all. True, a plant-based fuel comes from a renewable source, while fossil fuels will eventually run out. November 2007. It might seem counterintuitive at first, but some scientists argue that widespread biofuel production is a negative-sum game: Producing enough biodiesel or ethanol to replace one gallon of petroleum fuel, they argue, requires the energy equivalent to several gallons' worth of petroleum fuel [source: Pimentel]. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. "It is logistically available and it is low in value, if not negative in value." Producers that focus on a single cash crop each year face an increased risk of pest development, water pollution, and catastrophic failure. Advantages of Biofuels Biofuels costs have been declining and are likely to be far cheaper than petrol and other fossil fuels. For the billions of people living on only a few dollars per day, even a slight increase in food prices could jeopardize their access to proper nutrition. A way to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases is to use biofuels around the world. "10 Disadvantages of Biofuels" Many biofuel crops are used to make biodiesel. Because biofuels can be produced from renewable resources, they bring less pollution to the planet. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A prime example of this occurred in the early 2000s. By being renewable, they are a type of fuel that could potentially support sustainable development by promoting the use of renewable energy and reducing our impact on the environment. Biofuels can require significant amounts of water for irrigation and processing, which can lead to water depletion and competition with other water uses, including even water for households, or for food production. Biofuels burn clean, emit significantly fewer greenhouse gases, and are entirely biodegradable. But large-scale biofuel production, especially corn products and in arid regions of the world, has to share limited water resources with drinking and irrigation needs. The clearing of land can also result in the sudden release of a large amount of carbon dioxide as the plant matter that it contains is burned or allowed to decay. But there's another complication that arises with this selection. The best road tax-exempt cars to buyFor now, biofuel is . 2010. Many fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus. These materials include plant matter such as corn, soybeans, and sugarcane, as well as animal fats and agricultural waste. Relying on produce from halfway around the globe to feed a hungry nation is a risky price to pay for widespread biofuel integration into the world's energy supplies. Looking for Renewable Energy Device & Equipment Prices? Second, the oil these plants produce is not equal. Researchers are working to increase biofuel yields from weather-tolerant crops [source: Lau]. As a result, looking for unsaturated oil as a biofuel source is reasonable. Not Rotating the Crop 3. 19 January 2011. Scientists sounded the alarm, and further tests by academic and industry researchers confirmed that the corn's pollen posed a threat to monarchs. The character of biofuels when they are only produced from certain feedstocks, such as specific crops, like rapeseed, or certain waste materials, means that they may be in limited supply. 6. 6 May 2015. And once the chemicals are in the water supply, bad things can happen. Biofuels are obtained from crops and plants that contain large amounts of sugar. Disadvantages of Biofuels 1. It emits less harmful carbon compared to standard diesel. While the advantages of biomass energy are plenty, there are also some shortcomings, including: 1. Algae can be formed in ponds or tanks on land or out at sea. High Cost of Production Even with all the benefits associated with biofuels, they are quite expensive to produce in the current market. For example, Range Fuels in Georgia similarly attempted to gasify waste from the pulp and paper industry and transform it into ethanol directly but foundered in perfecting its catalysts. Biodiesel can be made from vegetable oils and animal fats. But that price quickly reaches consumers. Explore the increasing production of ethanol biofuel in the U.S and its downside, Learn the process of producing biodiesel from rapeseed oil. Union of Concerned Scientists. Growing demand for food-biofuel crops may have a positive result for crop producers due to higher prices for their products. This removes the need for application of chemicals and the risk of runoff and water contamination is simply lower. "Modern Agriculture: Ecological impacts and the possibilities for truly sustainable farming." Some studies are underway to increase the yields of biofuel from weather-tolerant crops. The simple supply-and-demand economics of biofuels -- increase demand for corn, for example, and corn becomes more expensive -- can pose a threat to some regions' food security, or the access to affordable nutritious food for the region's population [source: Naylor]. So, extensive production of biofuel is a negative-sum game. The biomass pretreatment is one of the keys to the best use of organic waste and thus enhance the production of a biogas plant. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e12d729352bd1 Jan. 31, 2007. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. A number of factors play into any fuel's cost, both in economic and environmental terms, and biofuel doesn't always come out as the most sustainable option. Biofuel Disadvantage : Environmental Impact. Can Renewable Energies Solve the Grave Problem of Climate Change? After all, a better harvest would reduce prices and ensure there's enough corn or soybeans on hand to feed and fuel the world, right? The problem is worse for pure vegetable oil as a fuel in so-called grease cars. Biofuel production is currently equivalent to just a tiny fraction. 10 Disadvantages of Biofuels By: Matt Cunningham Biofuels, made from crops such as corn, can have negative economic and environmental effects, as well as positive ones. While the range of oil-producing products examined viable for biofuel is wide enough to grow in most zones, high-yield crops do not grow everywhere. Adjunct Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota. "Oil Yields and Characteristics." Such a material is said to be carbon neutral. In practice, however, the industrial production of agricultural biofuels can result in additional emissions of greenhouse gases that may offset the benefits of using a renewable fuel. Although this is an economically attractive measure, the greater economic profitability for the farmer can make serious environmental disadvantages. (Dec. 13, 2010)http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/~agroeco3/modern_agriculture.html, Burpee. This is a problem that biofuel crops, food crops, gardens, and lawns have in common all over the world. However, this is not the only reason to encourage the use of biofuels. Corrections? Similar to petroleum fuels, biofuels are flammable (especially ethanol) and must be transported carefully. This fuel is made from the decomposition of organic matter. Think about the oils in your kitchen: While the olive oil in the cupboard is easy to pour, the lard and vegetable shortening have a paste-like consistency. In small countries, or in municipalities where landfills are full and . The greenhouse emission potential of biofuel varies considerably, from levels comparable to fossil fuels in some situations to negative emissions in others. Disadvantages of Biofuels Despite the benefits, there are some disadvantages of biofuels that make the general population hesitant to use them. Plant-based fuel can be produced almost anywhere, comes from a renewable resource and often produces cleaner emissions than petroleum-based fuel. Horgan. Biofuels can be extracted from the waste of those crops as well. Biofuel and fertiliser can be made from putrefying gasses emitted by rotting food, in specialist containers called anaeorbic digestors. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. Making biofuels from waste makes dollars--and sense, Edmonton is Canada's chief oil city as well as the capital of Alberta, the province that hosts the bulk of the country's tar sands. This means that more biofuel is required to produce the same amount of energy as a smaller amount of fossil fuel. Utilizing our garbage may help keep flora and fauna healthy, resulting in a healthier ecosystem. During their combustion in furnaces and boilers, they produce heat just like fossil fuels do. Updates? Easier availability of biomass, its low cost, and cheaper technologies involved mean producing bioenergy is cheaper when compared to most energy sources, especially fossil fuels. And while biofuel is not as clean as other renewables and won't get us out of the woods when it comes to reversing the impacts of climate change, it is a reliable renewable source. Some estimates state that algae and cyanobacteria could yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit area than second-generation biofuels. Biofuels are derived from the decomposition of biological or organic waste. There are no new technologies yet to simplify the process and make it accessible and low cost. However, the high greenhouse emissions, deadly air pollution, instable fossil-based energy prices, and strong growth of global transportation fuel demand have boosted extensive research efforts in developing bioenergy. IATA believes that by 2020 we could see 3%-4% of fuel comprised of second generation biofuels, which is made from biomass, agricultural residues or waste, rather than from the oil crops used for first generation biofuels. "You can place it in refineries throughout North America. And once the engine's running, the differences in combustion properties between gasoline and ethanol means that the ethanol-converted engine needs to have its ignition timing adjusted to operate properly [source: Tsuneishi]. Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This allows the engine to run for longer periods with less maintenance and reduces overall pollution check costs. Land use for biofuels may not cause a severe shortage of food; however, it will put pressure on the current increase of crops. Studies show that the machinery needed to cultivate the crops emits large carbon emissions. The amount of water used to grow biofuels varies depending on the type of biofuel, the location, and the farming practices used. When biodiesel is utilized as a combustible fuel, the engine durability increases. What is Distributed Generation? Captured carbon dioxide could be sequestered (stored) in long-term repositories such as geologic formations beneath the land, in sediments of the deep ocean, or conceivably as solids such as carbonates. Companies such as Ineos Bio are turning trash into other chemicals such as plastics. However, other biofuel crops, such as switchgrass and miscanthus, are considered to be low-input crops and need less pesticides. These emissions include carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels during the production process and nitrous oxide from soil that has been treated with nitrogen fertilizer. Pure ethanol and biodiesel are nontoxic and biodegradable, and if spilled, they break down into harmless substances. Biological source of energy can be produced in many cases from locally available resources, which in turn decreases our reliance on imported fossil fuels that are even becoming rarer. Associate Professor of Engineering Systems and Atmospheric Chemistry, Engineering Systems Division and Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. So, it could be a threat to food security or access to adequate nutritious food for the population. Additionally, the grass mix actually helps to offset carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Many unsaturated oils have undesirable burn characteristics: They'll leave gummy residue in an engine when used as fuel. Numerous unsaturated oils have undesirable burn properties. According to some estimates, expansion by Indonesian palm oil plantations caused the vast majority of that nation's deforestation in the late '80s and '90s. "Measuring Corn Ethanol's Thirst for Water." Environment. As an alternative source of energy obtained from renewable and biological material, these fuels can be produced using waste materials. Although current gas reservoirs will remain available for many years, they will deplete in anot-too-distant future. Sugar Cane Until recently, sugar cane was the world's main source of ethanol, because of its prevalence in Brazil. These fossil fuel stores are practically finite. Natural Resources Research. In a possible moderate ethanol production scenario that includes trash collection and cellulosic ethanol production, sugarcane has the potential to provide sufficient ethanol to meet 14% of Australia's . Fuel." . One alternative involves the use of highly diverse mixtures of species, with the North American tallgrass prairie as a specific example. Agricultural and Food Policy Center, Texas A&M University. Overall, the reliability of biofuels as an energy source will depend on the specific circumstances of their production and use. (Jan. 14, 2011)http://www.afpc.tamu.edu/pubs/2/446/RR%2006-2.pdf, McKenna, Phil. Coskata, Inc., has had a large demonstration plant that uses microbes to turn gasified waste into ethanol since 2009, and argues that it should remain the "major renewable liquid fuel" due to the ease with which biomass (or waste) can be transformed into italthough subsidies are required to develop the technology. Algae has the same concerns of monoculture that the agriculture industry experiences. Biofuels may emit lower carbon footprints but the process involved in the production of these fuels largely depends on oil and water. Plantation owners prepared their operations to meet the demand . They emit less carbon dioxide and other emissions when burned than standard diesel. As a result, converting plant biomass to ethanol requires processing much larger amounts of feed stock to produce the same amount of biofuel than conventional biofuels. Biomass is plant or animal material like wood, energy crops, and waste from forests, farms, or yards utilized as fuel to generate electricity or heat. They produce industrial pollution. The use of waste biomass to generate energy can decrease waste management problems, pollution, greenhouse gaseous emissions and the use of fossil fuels. The unique nature of a monoculture crop raises the risk of a complete loss for the farmer; if a severe strain of corn blight hits an ethanol-producing corn farm, there will be significant damage. In other words, not all biofuel crops are created equal. Biofuels Disadvantages There are some complicating aspects about disadvantages of biofuels that we should look at. However, ease of access to food imports and the export depends on a wide variety of political and social factors. Anything that is local comes with an extra benefit. This is due to the fact that biofuels are derived from renewable resources, such as crops and waste materials, which is more expensive to grow and process than fossil fuels. If more people turn to biofuels, a country can diminish its dependence on fossil fuels. A number of manufacturers sell biodiesel and grease car conversion components, and some others find methods to overcome the gelling problem. Exorbitant Production Costs 2. Whereas oil is a finite resource and comes from unique materials, biofuels can be produced from a broad variety of ingredients, including crop waste, manure, and other by-products. List of Disadvantages of Algae Biofuel. However, some biofuel crops, such as corn and sugarcane, are considered to be water-intensive and their production requires large amounts of irrigation. "Bioethanol." : Advantages & Disadvantages of. Cellulosic ethanol is commonly made from sugarcane bagasse, a waste product from sugar processing, or from various grasses that can be cultivated on low-quality land.
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