We've all heard about environment concerns such as global warming, our need to reduce our dependence on non-renewal fuel sources, particularly foreign oil, and the overall need to be "green." Even car manufacturers are getting in on the act, working on a variety of more energy-efficient and lower polluting cars such as the hybrids you see on the road more and more.
There are certainly upsides to biofuel vehicles. For example, since so many biofuels are derived from plants, they are close to being carbon neutral since the next crop raised for biofuels will use the carbon dioxide released from using the previous biofuels crop.
They also don't produce anywhere near as many particulates or carbon dioxide. Nor do they give off sulfur emissions, which are responsible for acid rain.
Plus they can be grown locally, so we can't be held hostage to foreign oil producers like we are now. Nor do we have to compete with other countries for limited resources, giving us control over our own fuels as well as keeping those dollars in our own economy.
But biofuels aren't the magic answer some have been touting and, indeed, there are some real downsides to biofuels, as we're sadly discovering nowadays what with skyrocketing food prices that can't just be blamed on the price of gas.
Currently US government subsidies are provided for ethanol, but they are for corn ethanol. However, unlike Brazil who has effectively produced ethanol on the basis of sugar cane waste for the past 20 years, the United States actually uses the corn itself, not the stocks and leaves. This has multiple negative effects.
In the first place, corn production, whether for food or biofuels production, requires a great deal of energy that releases more greenhouse gases than they actually save. Corn production also requires a great deal of water. Plus, the more demand for corn, the higher the price of corn. This isn't just for the corn we eat as canned corn, corn on the cob or corn flakes. Corn is also a major grain food used by animals, such as chickens, cattle, cows and the like. That's why the price of eggs, milks and hamburger has gone up so much recently.
Other current food sources used for biofuels, such as rapeseed and palm oil, have the same downsides since they, too, are used as foodstuffs, such as vegetable oil. Not only that, but many countries are deforesting great areas in order to provide more land to growl biofuels crops. And deforestation wreaks havoc on the environment. Talk about a downside!
There are many other plant materials that can be used for ethanol production, including switch grass and even algae. Waste products, such as wood chips, straw and pulp could accomplish the same thing Brazil has done...use what's left over after food production, not replace food production with fuel. After all, we can't eat biofuels.
Take Care,
Steven Longoria
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
Downsides to Biofuel Vehicles
Know How to Make Your Own Biofuel - Save Money Using It
With the dependence on traditional fossil fuels through this years, the world is so much crippled that there is an impending oil crisis that will not only affect governments and businesses but on a deeper and more profound level, citizens. With this, the advent of revolutionizing alternative sources such as plants has become one of the last hopes we have, not only to save us from economic downfall but also to the plagues that traditional fossil fuels have caused the environment.
If you think the idea to make your own biofuel is too ambitious confined only to oil companies who have the logistics and enough funding and far from being done on your own, you are wrong. The FuelPod2 was invented to make everything in the process easier. This device though might at first be costly for you a beginner who is just trying it out to make your own biofuel.
Simple steps with just the simple ingredients and utensils with the right kind of vision are just what you need to make your own biofuel right in the comfort of your home while you don't have your sophisticated Fuelpod2 just yet. Yes, right inside your home. All you need is your waste vegetable oil as your main actor, the appropriate amount of lye to create a perfect chemical reaction producing the biofuel, alcohol needed during the heating and mixing proper to separate the glycerine from the final biodiesel fuel extract, and water of course for the final washing.
So, why know how to make your own biodiesel?
It's simple: Because the benefits are outstanding. The most important benefit is that you will reduce pollution of our planet, and if we start using more biofuel and less petrol our planet will be cleaner for our kids. The second benefit is the money that you can save. If you get a guide and learn how to make your own biodiesel you will spend 0$ on gas for your car. You will run your car on biodiesel and your engine will not be affected by running on biofuel.
These guides will show you exactly how to make your car run on biodiesel and how to make biodiesel in your own house. Don't you want to save at least 90% on gas costs?
Get 0$ Gas without modifying your car or your engine and without investing any money on your car.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Peterson
Make Biofuel at Home and Be the Businessman and Environmentalist That You Are
Before the fossil fuel diesel became the main source of energy in almost all aspects of modern living, Rudolph Diesel revolutionize the use of biofuels with his engine that ran on peanut oil. Unfortunately, he was named after the fossil diesel that became of major use in all industries. Unfortunately, this type of fuel has become one of the major causes of environmental degradation, far from what Rudolph diesel envisioned.
Biofuels have been found to have tremendous contribution not only to the solutions on environmental problems but also its economic and energy security benefits. In terms of economy, biofuels can help ease the burden of the rising cost of fossil fuels and also provide another source of income for the agricultural industry since the sources are plants crops. Energy security will be enhanced since the production of biofuels has been made simple and doable through various researches. Furthermore, it will bring to a higher level our energy security since we will slowly move away from fossil fuels that will soon become scarce and used up because they are not renewable.
The best thing about this is that it does not take so much genius and sophisticated equipment and procedures to do it. Yes, you can make biofuel at home! It is feasible, easy, and simple. Just be always on the guard for accidents since fumes can be toxic and heating night cause burns.
To make biofuel at home, you will just have to be ready with your chosen vegetable oil, new or used. Prepare your additives such as lye and methanol and of course equipment such as glass jars, measuring devices, and your filtering, mixing and heating gadgets. If you are familiar with soap making, making biofuel is almost very similar to it.
The final stage is to separate the glycerine (the one turned into soap) and the liquid that stays on top, and that is your biofuel. With a little "How to.." with you, you can make biofuel at home effective and successful and might just turn this not only a benefit and big help on your energy needs but also a lucrative business venture. Aside from the business opportunity you might discover, you also turned yourself into the staunch advocate of environmental protection.
My personal advice to you is to get a guide that will tell you exactly how to make biofuel in your own home and use it on your own car. To help you, I have reviewed the best guides here. Don't waste 5$ a gallon anymore and start using biofuel.
People all over the world convert their cars to run on biofuel and they don't pay one dime on a gallon. Using these guides you will stop wasting 4$ on every gallon on gas, guaranteed.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Peterson
Friday, July 3, 2009
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How Ethanol Car Engines Work
Ethanol cars work in a way very similar to normal gasoline cars, and are a great viable alternative fuel option because of current high gas prices. The only real difference is that ethanol car engines are able to utilize the biofuel ethanol instead of oil based gasoline.
Ethanol fuel itself is extracted from plants such as corn or sugarcane, and refined into an alcohol. This alcohol is suitable to be used as a biofuel in cars and other vehicles. Most hybrid automobile engines that use ethanol can also use gasoline, and are also called "flex-fuel" engines. The ethanol is injected into the engine in the same way as a non-hybrid automobile engine. Though ethanol gives slightly less miles per gallon than gasoline, it doesn't create as much air pollution when it is burned.
The similarities between ethanol "flex-fuel" engines and standard engines make ethanol cars cheaper than most alternative or hybrid vehicles, because they are built in much the same way as a regular engine. Ethanol is actually cheaper in some cases than gasoline, and thus a hybrid that runs on ethanol can be less expensive to operate than a gasoline based vehicle.
Most standard automobiles can even run on a 10% mixture of ethanol in gasoline. Many gas stations around the world offer ethanol as an alternative to gasoline, and in some countries cars are required to run on ethanol.
You can find out more information about Hybrid Cars at ProHybrid.com along with video news, reviews, and tools such as price quotes and an automotive loan calculator.
Article provided by ProHybrid.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_F_Stevens
