A form of a sustainable energy source called biofuel is produced from microbial, plant, or animal products. Green diesel, which is produced from algae and other plant sources, biogas, and ethanol are some examples of biofuels. Ethanol is frequently produced from corn in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil (methane derived from animal manure and other digested organic material).
Gaseous, liquid, or solid biofuels are all possible. The latter two kinds are the most practical because they are simpler to distribute, provide, and burn cleanly.
Understanding Biofuel: It is commonly acknowledged that alternative, sustainable solutions must be discovered to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing global demand for energy. Many professionals in the energy sector think that biofuels could be the solution and that their clean and renewable qualities will be crucial to the production of energy in the future.
Similar in operation to nonrenewable fossil fuels is biofuel. Both ignite and burn, producing energy that can be used to heat or power cars. The primary distinction between them is that biofuels can be produced endlessly and generally harm the environment less than fossil fuels.
Exxon Mobil Corp. is one of many large oil firms around the globe that has recently made significant investments in cutting-edge biofuel research (XOM). The largest oil firm in the United States is concentrating on advanced biofuels that don’t threaten food or water supplies, and the majority of its budgeted resources are going toward turning plant and algal waste into fuel that can be used for transportation.
ExxonMobil cautioned, despite its enthusiasm, that fundamental technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs are still required for biomass optimization and the conversion of biomass into practical fuels.
Limitations of Biofuel: People who are worried about carbon dioxide emissions and the security of their energy supply view biofuels as a good substitute for fossil fuels. Biofuels do, however, have drawbacks.
For instance, critics claim that the usage of ethanol is incredibly wasteful because the process of producing ethanol actually results in a net energy loss and raises food prices. It also requires more ethanol than gasoline to produce the same amount of energy.
Conservation organizations also disagree with biofuels, claiming that bio-crops would be better used as a source of food rather than the fuel. Particular issues include the need for using a lot of arable land to grow bio-crops, which can cause issues like soil erosion, deforestation, fertilizer run-off, and salinity.
The Algae Alternative: Companies like ExxonMobil are turning to water-based alternatives like algae cultivation to help address the issue of large arable land utilization. Exxon asserts that water unfit for food production can be utilized to grow algae on land unfit for other uses.
Algae might be able to produce more biofuels per acre than other sources, without needing freshwater or arable land, and with lower costs. Algae has another benefit over other bio-sources in that it can be utilized to make biofuels with a similar chemical make-up to current transportation fuels. This would significantly contribute to the replacement of gasoline and diesel, two common fossil fuels.
