Are Biofuels Sustainable?
All of us are experiencing the pain at the gas pump, unless you have a hybrid, hydrogen or electric vehicle. Meanwhile, oil companies are experiencing tremendous profits, thanks to many reasons, including gas guzzling vehicles, successful marketing campaigns, and starry-eyed consumers. Many consumers bought into the marketing lie that "bigger is better" and now they financially suffer at the pump, while also negatively impacting our small planet. As we look at the various alternatives to petroleum, we must ask, are biofuels really sustainable? A document prepared by the House of Commons Environmental Committee (January 2008), addresses this very question. The fact is that biofuels are contributing to a global food crisis. According to a recent article in the Guardian, "Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by the Guardian."
Considering the growing rhetoric of the depletion of oil reserves, let's take a look at the pros and cons of five sources of biofuels: corn ethanol, sugar-cane ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, algae biofuel, and biodiesel.
Corn Ethanol
Pros: Could reduce US reliance upon oil imports and decrease greenhouse gases.
Cons: Production is energy intensive and the price of corn, meat and grain have gone through the roof. 450+ pounds of corn are required to fill a 25 gallon tank with an ethanol (enough calories to feed one person for a year!).
Sugar-Cane Ethanol
Pros: Less energy to produce than corn and yields more per acre than corn.
Cons: Requires a warm, rainy climate to grow.
Cellulosic Ethanol
Pros: Made from wood chips, nonfood crops, and farm waste.
Cons: More expensive than sugar or corn and very energy intensive.
Algae Biofuel
Pros: Algae grows quickly and can produce 30x more energy than other biofuel alternatives.
Cons: Growing algae is expensive. The technology is not yet developed to make extensive fuel from algae.
Biodiesel
Pros: Made from vegetable oil, like canola and soy, and animal fat. Unfortunately, it requires 90% more energy to create it than to use it. Biodiesel is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40-80%.
Cons: Boosts "agflation".
Related articles:
U.N. Says Food Plan Could Cost $30 Billion a Year (New York Times, June 4, 2008)
All Biofuels Are Not The Same (Washington Post, June 16, 2008)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/03/biofuels.renewableenergy
Cooking Oil into Biodiesel = Greener Planet
Did you know that you can convert your used cooking oil into soap or biodiesel? Think of it this way, cleaner bodies and a cleaner planet, simply by recycling and processing used vegetable oil (and, of course, using it!). Imagine if all of us recycled our used cooking oil into biodiesel? This includes all the fast food chains, restaurants and homes across the board. It is beyond the time where all of us should be using this method as a source of fuel for diesel engines, creating a greener planet, reducing the consumption of oil, and decreasing our dependence upon oil rich nations.
There are 6 steps to creating used cooking oil into biodiesel:
1. Preparation: Pour vegetable into processer and heat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Reactor: Blend lye (alkaline base) and methanol (alcohol) together and then mix into the oil.
3. Settling: Separate oil into glycerine and unwashed biodiesel. Remove glycerine.
4. Washing: Mix biodiesel with water
5. Purification: Remove water from biodiesel and then pour into a container.
6. Distribution: Store biodiesel and allow to settle before using as fuel.
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