FAQs Biofuel

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What is a biofuel?

Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels produced from biomass that are generally high in sugar (such as sugarcane, sugarbeet, sweet sorghum), starch (such as corn and cassava) or oils (such as soybeans, rapeseed, coconut, sunflowers, and palms).

The two most commonly used biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.

What are the types of biofuel?

Generally biofuels are divided into three categories. They are First generation biofuel , Second generation biofuel and Third generation biofuel:

• First-generation biofuels are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology.
• Second-generation biofuels are produced from non-food crops, such as cellulosic biofuels and waste biomass (stalks of wheat and corn, and wood).
• Third-generation biofuels are produced from extracting oil of algae – sometimes referred to as “oilgae”.
  

What are the uses of biofuel?

Biofuels can be used for various purposes ranging from cooking to biofuel in vehicles. However, recently they are most prominently used as fuels for vehicles.

What is bioethanol?

Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is an alcohol fuel made from the sugars found in grains such as corn sorghum, barley and in plant products such as potato skins, rice, sugar cane, sugar beets , yard clippings , bark and switchgrass.Ethanol is used in special engine by mixing with petrol and is called Gasohol (70-90% petrol and 10-30% ethanol). Currently, a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline called E10 is approved for use in all vehile. E10 was previously called Gasohol.

What is biodiesel?

Biodiesel is made by combining alcohol (usually methanol) with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking grease. It is a nontoxic and biodegradable energy source that produces lower levels of air pollutants. Most often it is blended with petroleum diesel in ratios of 2% (B2), 5% (B5),20% (B20) or as pure biodiesel (B100).

What is vegetable oil?

Vegetable Oil can be used as fuel for diesel engines, either as straight vegetable oil (SVO) or as biodiesel (after chemical conversion). The market of plant oils is dominated by a few crops, notably oil palm (35 %), soybean (27 %), rapeseed (16 %) and sunflower (9 %).

Further Information

• Biofuel Portal on energypedia
  
• Biofuels & the Poor - Facts and Definitions