DIY Solar power - Make your own solar power system at home.

Bio-Fuels

As the name suggests, bio-fuels are fuels that are formed when biological (once-living) matter decomposes. Bio-fuels are mostly derived from plants. Bio-fuels can be found in all the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.

Difference between bio-fuels and fossil fuels

Bio-fuels are different from fossil fuels in the following ways:

Fossil fuels take millions of years to be created whereas bio-fuels can be made extremely fast, within a matter of days.
Fossil fuels generate huge amounts of pollution. Bio-fuels are comparatively cleaner.
Bio-fuels are renewable sources of energy, unlike fossil fuels.

Different types of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels have been categorized into four types: first generation, second generation, third generation, and fourth generation.

The first generation bio-fuels are derived from vegetable fats, starch, and sugar, which are in turn derived from food crops. The first generation fuels are also derived from animal fats. Biogas, bio-diesel, and vegetable oil are some examples of this type of bio-fuel.

The second generation of bio-fuels is mainly derived from waste biomass, thus making it a more balanced option compared to the first-generation bio-fuels. Various kinds of alcohols and diesel generated from wood fall into the category of second generation bio-fuels.

The third generation comprises bio-fuels derived from algae. Algae are farmed on large scales for creating these bio-fuels. The algae fuels are extremely environmentally-friendly, as they can easily decompose into the soil without harming it.

The bio-fuels in the fourth generation are derived from a method in which micro-organisms are introduced to work with carbon dioxide to generate fuel.

Advantages of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels prove advantageous in the following ways:

Bio-fuels lessen the burden on gradually-vanishing fossil fuels.
Bio-fuels are environment-friendly. They help reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Bio-fuels, especially, bio-diesel prove to be very cost-effective for consumers.

There are, however, some disadvantages of Bio-fuels.

Disadvantages of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels are not without their problems. Though beneficial for the environment, bio-fuels have their disadvantages, ironically, in the environmental arena. Bio-fuels have received criticism for many reasons, a couple of which are stated below:

Economists have long debated the usefulness of first generation bio-fuels, when compared with shortage of food they cause. Generating fuel from food crops makes food crops unavailable for human consumption. Some people believe that being a higher priority than fuel, food should not be farmed for making fuels but for human consumption.
Making bio-fuels require many acres of farm land, thus encroaching upon the natural habitat of plants and animals.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to reduce your power bill. Get our complete guide at www.earth4energy.com

Visit Earth4Energy now