IN RECENT years almost the whole worlds is looking to explore new sources of energy and fuels. Most of the developed countries have taken concrete steps for this purpose even few developing countries have also taken initiative in this regard. Pakistan is one of those countries, which is blessed with all natural resources but the need is to properly utilize these sources. We can by self sufficient in biofuels if we utilize if we properly utilize the crops mentioned below and produce biofuels. Many countries like US, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, European Union and Singapore are producing biofuels from these crops.
Biofuels are a wide range of fuels which are in some way derived from biomass. The term covers solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases. Biofuels are gaining increased public and scientific attention, driven by factors such as oil price spikes, the need for increased energy security, and concern over greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.
Biofuels are fuels that are derived from animal or, more commonly, plant material, these are organic in nature, and can be made from a wide variety of sources such as corn, sugar cane, animal fat, sunflower seeds, wild grasses, and soybeans. They are very different from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, which must be extracted from the earth's crust.
Biofuel has become a hot topic amongst environmentalists, who advocate for its use. There are certainly some disadvantages to the creation and use of biofuels, but there are also lots of advantages to making the switch.
The main benefits of biofuels are environmental in nature. There is solid evidence that emissions from fossil fuels are contributing to many issues facing the planet, including global warming and pollution, and these types of organic fuel sources offer some solutions.
Fossil fuels have come under fire for the harmful carbon-based emissions they produce when burned. Biofuels produce fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuels, thereby reducing air pollution, greenhouse gasses, and toxins.
As the world's supply of fossil fuels diminishes, biofuels offer a renewable and sustainable alternative. Crops can be grown continuously, and can easily be expanded to accommodate growing demand for fuel.
Many of the elements of biofuels are considered "waste" products, such as corn stalks and other byproducts of agricultural farming. Even food industry waste can be turned into biofuels. Turning these products into an energy source could help a great deal with overall waste storage.
Since biofuels are made with biodegradable matter, they are less toxic than fossil fuels. If there is an accident that results in some kind of spill or leak, biofuels would present much less of a health and environmental hazard. They can be cleaned up more easily and much quicker, reducing expenses involved.
Digging for oil and coal, which is found buried deep in the earth's crust, causes a strain on the earth itself. From the dangers of coal mining to oil spills and the possible connection of earthquakes to drilling, seeking fossil fuels can be dangerous business. Biofuels would reduce these risks completely.
Maize / Corn
Corn is one of the most important crops worldwide and is increasingly processed into bio-ethanol. Producing ethanol from corn, however, is not very efficient. Growing corn requires more fertilizer and pesticides than most other crops. To process it into usable fuel, corn kernels have to undergo energy-intensive distillation and chemical extraction processes. Refined ethanol still has to be shipped to its final destination, which adds further costs. All in all, corn-based ethanol can currently only be produced with high subsidies.
The surge in biofuels has dramatically increased demand for corn. While corn farmers profit, importing nations are severely affected. Mexicans, for example, have had to cope with rising prices for corn, due in part to the ethanol boom in the United States.
Rapeseed / Canola
With annual production of around 12 million tons, China is the world’s largest producer of rapeseed oil. The countries of the European Union collectively produce another 18 million tons. Traditionally used for oils, soaps, and plastics, rapeseed oil has become the basis for biodiesel in Europe, making Europe the global leader in oilseed biodiesel.
Without technological breakthroughs, this will only be possible through further subsidies. Currently, production of biodiesel from oilseeds is two to three times more expensive than petroleum-based diesel. Growing rapeseed requires fertilizers, while extracting the oil from the plants needs more energy.
Sugar cane
Sugar cane can be distilled down to produce bioethanol. It needs little energy input, because its bagasse (a byproduct of sugar cane) is used to heat the distillation process. The plant also grows very fast and converts up to two percent of incident solar energy into biomass, which makes it one of the most efficient energy-producing plants.
While sugar cane is often produced in large plantations, ethanol plants are limited by the fact that sugar cane has to be processed within 48 hours. Environmentalists say that growing sugar crops fuels deforestation and boosts sugar prices. Ethanol from sugar cane does not need subsidies, but critics say that the ecological degradation caused by expanding sugar cane production outweighs any environmental gains.
Palm oil
Malaysia and Indonesia are the key players in the palm oil market, accounting for 85 percent of global production. Growth is driven mainly by demand from industrialized countries for biodiesel.
According to some estimates, production costs of palm oil biodiesel are around 30 percent lower than rapeseed biodiesel. This is largely due to the productivity of oil palms, which on average produce 2.5 times more oil per hectare than rapeseed.
Environmentalists, however, strongly condemn producing biofuels from palm oil. They say that large tracts of rainforests are being cleared to make way for new plantations. This destroys the habitat of endangered species like the Orangutan. Diverting land away from food production may also have negative consequences, because palm oil is an important part of the diet of millions of people.
Jatropha
Formerly used to make soap and candles, experts have identified this hardy plant from Central America as an efficient source of biofuel. Jatropha seeds contain up to 40 percent oil that can be burnt in a conventional diesel engine after extraction.
The plant grows in difficult terrain, needs relatively little water, generates topsoil, and helps to stall soil erosion. A jatropha bush lives for up to 50 years, producing oil in its second year of growth.
On the other hand, the plant is poisonous to people and cattle, and must be harvested by hand, making it very labor intensive. Until harvesting jatropha can be mechanized, large-scale production is only viable in countries with high unemployment and cheap labor.
http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/jan11/supply/how_to_be_self_reliant.php
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