Biofuels Biofuel, also called agrofuel, Biofuels are fuels derived from living plants, animals or their byproducts

which are not more than 20-30 years old. Biofuels contain stored solar energy and are a renewable source of energy, since the plants can be grown again. Unlike petroproducts , all biofuels are biodegradable and do not damage the environment when spilled.

Benefits of use
The main practical benefit of using biofuel alternatives is, that within some volume constraints, they can be integrated with fossil fuels and used within existing energy systems such as car and lorry engines. There are two main environmental benefits of using biofuels in place of fossil fuels. First, because they are renewable, biofuels offer the potential for long-term, relatively cheap, secure energy supplies. Second, biofuels can contribute significantly less to greenhouse gas emissions in their production and use than oil or natural gas. So-called second generation biofuels, or synthetic fuels, although biomass derived, mimic the chemical characteristic of fossil fuels. This allows more comprehensive integration into the fuel supply stream. They can also be made from a higher proportion of "woody" biomass, straw for example as opposed to the corn itself. How to make Biofuels Biofuel is considered to be the most pure and the easiest available fuels on the planet. Also known as agrofuel, they are classified into gas, liquid and solid form derived from biomass. Most of the people would be very happy to know that most of the forms of biofuels can be easily manufactured even at in ones kitchen garden. One of the key features of biofuels is that they are better than other forms of fuels like petrol or diesel that is manufactured by most of the big oil manufacturing companies. Most of the diesel engines would work more efficiently and even last longer with the use of these home made biofuels. These fuels are also very clean and environment friendly. These biofuels can be a lot more economic if used in the kitchen for cooking purpose. These fuels also encourage the recycling process as most of them are manufactured from waste products. There are various forms of biofuels and most of them are made through a detailed process having various stages. Most of the animal fats, vegetables and oils contain glycerin and are thus called triglycerides. In the process of manufacturing the biofuels, all the fats and oils are turned into esters, separating the glycerin. At the end of the process, all the glycerin sinks down at the bottom and all the biofuel rests at the top. The process through which the glycerin is separated from the biodiesel is known as transesterification. This process also uses lye as a catalyst in the whole process. Some of the chemicals which are used in the manufacturing of biofuels are ethanol or methanol which brings into use methyl esters. Methanol is derived from fossil fuels while ethanol is derived from plants. One of the advantages of using ethanol is that they can be distilled even at the home without any problem.

The process of manufacturing biofuel can be classified in the following stages. These stages are: Filtering: In this process, waste vegetable oil is filtered to remove all the food particles. This process generally involves warming up the liquid a little. After warming up the liquid, it can be filtered with the use of coffee filter. Removing of water: All the water contained in the residual gangue has to be removed which will make the reaction faster. The water can be easily removed by making the liquid boil at 100 degree C for sometime. Titration: This process is carried out to determine the amount of lye that would be required. This process is the most crucial and the most important stage of biofuel manufacturing. Preparation of sodium methoxide: In this process, methanol is mixed with sodium hydroxide to produce sodium methoxide. In most of the cases, the quantity of methanol used is generally 20 percent of waste vegetable oil. Heating and mixing: The residue is heated in between 120 to 130 degree F after which it is mixed well. It should be remembered that process should be done carefully avoiding splashing of the liquid. Settling and separation: After mixing the liquid, it has to be allowed to cool down. After the cooling process, the biofuel will be found floating at the top while the heavier glycerin would be found at the bottom. The glycerin can be easily separated by allowing it to drain out from the bottom. The person is left over with pure biofuel which can be used for various purposes

Some approaches to use biological engineering to produce more biofuels. Improving crops The main problem with bio-fuels today is the source of the bio-products. The two main bio-fuels in use, biodiesel and ethanol are produced from plant oils and from edible crops. If we will replace all the petroleum based fuels with biofuels, we will soon won't have anything to eat. The crops we grow currently are enough for nutrition but cannot produce the amount of bio-materials needed for producing enough fuels. In order to secure a good resource of energy in the future, we must dramatically increase the amount of biomass in produced by agriculture. There are two principles in doing so: 1. Improving production - increasing the production rate of current agricultural crops, so more plants can be grown in the same time. 2. Improving crops -instead of increasing the amount of crops, we might be able to increase the amount of oils or sugar in any one plants, so the biomass will be larger per each plant. With biotechnology methods, scientists try constantly to genetic-engineer plants, so they will be enhanced in both directions mentioned above. The methods to do so today are straight forward and

we can easly get the genetic code of each gene in any plants (some plants have been sequenced completely). Scientists can also manipulate the expression of each gene, and by doing so to influence the certain quality they are interested in. By genetically manipulating plants, biologists try to improve several crucial properties of crops that will help to increase their production. The main qualities are: improving water efficiency, flowering time, growth control and time, salinity sensitivity and more. They also try to change the amount of sugars and oil the plants grow by changing the control systems of plants metabolism. All of these methods together are leading to major shift in agriculture, and we are going to see the frurits of these efforts very soon. Using bacteria A different approach to biomaterial production for biofuels is to use unicellular organisms, like bacteria and algae to produce the carbon molecules that are used in biofuels production. Bacteria are much easy to grow, and can produce a huge amount of biochemical in a very short time. Bacteria are also much easier to genetically manipulate, and engineering of bacteria is done regularly almost in any biology lab in the world. Soon we will be able to use bacteria that grow on agricultural waste, to produce large amount of biofuels. The only problem with this approach is the need to reinvent the methods of growth, and we cannot relay on well developed agricultural methods that are used everywhere. It is also not known yet what will be the price of these methods. Finding new resources A different approach to increasing biomass production is to look for new candidate plants that can naturally produce much more biomass than the known crops. The currently used crops are great as nutritional source but not always suite to biodiesel or ethanol production. A good candidate for biodiesel production is Jatropha - a fruit that can produce tremendous amount of oil. Other candidate are also considered, and the future is probably holding a new reality of agricultural plants. Enhancing production Biological methods can also be used to accelerate and optimize the production of biofuels. Examples for that is developing bacteria that can process oils, or increase fermentation for ethanol production. biological enzymes are the most efficient catalysts we know, and might change the way biofuels are produces in a very fundamental way, to make it cheaper and more reliable.

Types Of Biofuel
Ever since their discovery, the fossil fuels have benefited the man and have made them prosper and develop. These fuels that are extracted from the decomposed fossils, millions of years old, buried in the depths of the earth, are the reason why we are living today. Imagine a life without coal, gas and oil.

Its impossible now to live without these resources. But the sad part is that these fuels are non renewable resources and we will run out of them one day, in fact, we already are. With the increase in population, which has taken place drastically over the centuries, the demand of these fuels has also increased. This increase of demand has lead to much more use of these fuels, that has made the earths fuel bank half empty, and with the rapid increase of their demand, it will soon be completely emptied. It is predicted that by 2050 the demand of fuels will be the double of the fuel demand today and would triple by the end of the century and if the process of excess fossil fuel continues, we will be left with nothing within few years.

The Biofuels
Now that its known that we will run out of these fuels one day, steps are being taken to preserve these fuels by making their alternative sources. The best replacement for the fossil fuels is the biofuels. The biofuels are the fuels that are obtained from or by the action of any biomass. They are mostly obtained by the action of bacteria and different microbes on any organic matter however some fuel is also directly drawn from plants and can be used by man as the replacement of natural fossil fuels.

Different Biofuels
There are three main types of biofuels. Thee biofuels are the perfect alternatives of the fossil fuels, other than that the production of these fuels does not have any harmful effect on the environment. Following are the three types of biofuels.

1. Biodiesel
The biodiesel is the best alternative of the usual diesel used in vehicles. It is produced by the decomposition of vegetable oils obtained from plants or are converted synthetically. The biodiesels have the same composition is just like mineral diesel. It is observed that people who use biodiesels in their diesel engines do not face any difficulty and their engine runs as smooth as before and in some cases even better. Many vehicle manufacturers now recommend the use of a mixture of 5% biodiesel mixed with mineral diesel. A 5% biodiesel blend is generally used at gas stations in Europe.

2. Bioalcohols
Bioalcohols are another type of biofuels that are produced by the action of certain aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

The most commonly produced bioalcohols are ethanol, butanol and propanol. Amongst these ethanol is the most commonly used bioalcohol, butanol is used comparatively less and propanol is used rarely.
Butanol

Biobutanol is a strong organic alcohol and it can be used in engines as a direct replacement of gasoline in vehicle engines. In few cases where it is used, a much better working of engine is observed. Butanol is a strong biofuel and can be very useful however its use on a common scale is yet to be observed and adopted.
Ethanol

Ethanol is the most commonly used biofuel in the world particularly in Brazil. It is used in engines as a substitute for gasoline. But mostly a mixture to ethanol mixed with gasoline in any ratio is used in the engines. A mixture of gasoline and ethanol consisting 15% bioethanol can be used in any contemporary automobile petrol engine. This mixture is highly advisable for any automobile engine as the mixture of ethanol and gasoline has a much better octave and can make the engine run with much more efficiency.

3. Biogases
Biogases are produced by the action of certain anaerobic bacteria. The anaerobic action of these bacteria results in the biogases that are now used as a replacement of commonly used fossil gas. The gas that is now most commonly produced as a biogas is methane. During the production of these biogases a solid byproduct called digestate is formed, it can also be used as fertilizer. The Syngas is a special type of biogas which is produced as result of combined processes of gasification, combustion and pyrolyis. The Syngas can be used in internal combustion engines and are also used to create hydrogen and methanol. The production of these biofuels is a great step towards making the earth again a better place. The of these biofuels will not only compensate the loss of naturally occurring fossil fuels but will also reduce the pollution in environment and will slow down the rapidly increasing green house effect in the environment.

Advantages:

1. Using biofuels can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. They are a much cleaner source of energy then conventional sources. 2. As more and more biofuel is created there will be increased energy security for the country producing it, as they will not have to rely on imports or foreign volatile markets. 3. First generation biofuels can save up to 60% carbon emissions and second-generation biofuels can save up to 80%. 4. Biofuels will create a brand new job infrastructure and will help support local economies. This is especially true in third world countries. 5. There can be a reduction in fossil fuel use. 6. Biofuel operations help rural development. 7. Biodiesel can be used in any diesel vehicle and it reduces the number of vibrations, smoke and noise produced. 8. Biodiesel is biodegradable. 9. They are non-toxic. 10. They are renewable. 11. Biodiesel has a high flash point, making it safer and less likely to burn after an accident. Disadvantage 1. The capital cost is over 700 million dollars to develop secondary biofuel processes which would yield a better quality and more efficient fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions even more. 2. Biofuels are neither carbon neutral or negative as all the processes which are used to create them such as transportation, fertilizer manufacturing, fuel used for machinery, et cetera. 3. Some times the production of some biofuels actually leads to more green house gas emissions then they decrease such as in the case of rapeseed corn. 4. The techniques used to find out how good biofuels are for the environment usually do not take into account other gasses emitted such as nitrous oxide which some times happen to be more prominent after biofuels have been used. 5. Biofuels take a large expanse of area to grow. Land will have to be cleared for more growth. If rainforests and other high biomass lands are cleared on a mass scale for biofuel production (which may happen in lower income countries) then the amount of green house gases emitted would be staggering, up to 420 times more GHGs emitted. Multiple studies have been found to draw the same conclusion. 6. Biofuel may raise the price of certain foods, which are also used for biofuel such as corn. 7. Biofuel development and production is still heavily dependent on Oil. 8. As other plants are replaced, soil erosion will grow. 9. A lot of water is used to water the plants, especially in dry climates. 10. Deforestation in South America and South Eastern Asia causes loss of habitat for animals and for indigenous people living there. 11. New technologies will have be developed for vehicles for them to use these fuels. This will increase their prices significantly.

12. Biodiversity A fear among environmentalists is that by adapting more land to produce crops for biofuels, more habitats will be lost for animals and wild plants. It is feared for example, that some Asian countries will sacrifice their rainforests to build more oil plantations.

The Future of Biofuels

Biofuels are not a silver bullet for the energy problems of the world. To solve the issue of dwindling fossil fuel reserves, all viable means of harvesting energy should be pursued to their fullest. However, the fact remains that biofuels are a reliable alternative energy resource. With more development and research, it is possible to overcome the disadvantages of biofuels and make them suitable for widespread consumer use. When the technology is available, many of the disadvantages will be minimized and the market very clearly has potential. Much of this could rely on the ability of energy producers to discover better plants to raise for fuel that use less water, less land, and grows quickly.

Note: 1. A biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases.[1] Biofuels are gaining increased public and scientific attention, driven by factors such as oil price hikes, the need for increased energy security, and concern over greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Bioethanol is an alcohol made by fermentation, mostly from carbohydrates produced in sugar or starch crops such as corn or sugarcane. Cellulosic biomass, derived from non-food sources such as trees and grasses, is also being developed as a feedstock for ethanol production. Ethanol can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle emissions. Bioethanol is widely used in the USA and in Brazil. Current plant design does not provide for converting the lignin portion of plant raw materials to fuel components by fermentation. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe. In 2010 worldwide biofuel production reached 105 billion liters (28 billion gallons US), up 17% from 2009, and biofuels provided 2.7% of the world's fuels for road transport, a contribution largely made up of ethanol and biodiesel.[2] Global ethanol fuel production reached 86 billion liters (23 billion gallons US) in 2010, with the United States and Brazil as the world's top producers, accounting together for 90% of global production. The world's largest biodiesel producer is the European Union, accounting for 53% of all biodiesel production in 2010.[2] As of 2011, mandates for blending biofuels exist in 31 countries at the national level and in 29 states/provinces.[3]

According to the International Energy Agency, biofuels have the potential to meet more than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050.[4]

2. Current research
There is ongoing research into finding more suitable biofuel crops and improving the oil yields of these crops. Using the current yields, vast amounts of land and fresh water would be needed to produce enough oil to completely replace fossil fuel usage. It would require twice the land area of the US to be devoted to soybean production, or two-thirds to be devoted to rapeseed production, to meet current US heating and transportation needs.[citation needed] Specially bred mustard varieties can produce reasonably high oil yields and are very useful in crop rotation with cereals, and have the added benefit that the meal leftover after the oil has been pressed out can act as an effective and biodegradable pesticide.[54] The NFESC, with Santa Barbara-based Biodiesel Industries is working to develop biofuels technologies for the US navy and military, one of the largest diesel fuel users in the world.[55] A group of Spanish developers working for a company called Ecofasa announced a new biofuel made from trash. The fuel is created from general urban waste which is treated by bacteria to produce fatty acids, which can be used to make biofuels.[56]
Ethanol biofuels Main article: Ethanol

As the primary source of biofuels in North America, many organizations are conducting research in the area of ethanol production. The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) is a research division of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville dedicated solely to ethanol-based biofuel research projects.[57] On the Federal level, the USDA conducts a large amount of research regarding ethanol production in the United States. Much of this research is targeted toward the effect of ethanol production on domestic food markets.[58] A division of the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has also conducted various ethanol research projects, mainly in the area of cellulosic ethanol.[59]
Algal biofuels Main articles: Algaculture and Algal fuel

From 1978 to 1996, the U.S. NREL experimented with using algae as a biofuels source in the "Aquatic Species Program".[60] A self-published article by Michael Briggs, at the UNH Biofuels Group, offers estimates for the realistic replacement of all vehicular fuel with biofuels by utilizing algae that have a natural oil content greater than 50%, which Briggs suggests can be grown on algae ponds at wastewater treatment plants.[61] This oil-rich algae can then be extracted from the system and processed into biofuels, with the dried remainder further reprocessed to create ethanol. The production of algae to harvest oil for biofuels has not yet been undertaken on a commercial scale, but feasibility studies have been conducted to arrive at the above yield estimate. In addition to its projected high yield, algaculture unlike crop-based biofuels does not entail a decrease in food production, since it requires neither farmland nor fresh water. Many companies are

pursuing algae bio-reactors for various purposes, including scaling up biofuels production to commercial levels.[62][63] Prof. Rodrigo E. Teixeira from the University of Alabama in Huntsville demonstrated the extraction of biofuels lipids from wet algae using a simple and economical reaction in ionic liquids.[64]
Jatropha Main articles: Jatropha and Jatropha Oil

Several groups in various sectors are conducting research on Jatropha curcas, a poisonous shrublike tree that produces seeds considered by many to be a viable source of biofuels feedstock oil.[65] Much of this research focuses on improving the overall per acre oil yield of Jatropha through advancements in genetics, soil science, and horticultural practices. SG Biofuels, a San Diego-based Jatropha developer, has used molecular breeding and biotechnology to produce elite hybrid seeds of Jatropha that show significant yield improvements over first generation varieties.[66] SG Biofuels also claims that additional benefits have arisen from such strains, including improved flowering synchronicity, higher resistance to pests and disease, and increased cold weather tolerance.[67] Plant Research International, a department of the Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, maintains an ongoing Jatropha Evaluation Project (JEP) that examines the feasibility of large scale Jatropha cultivation through field and laboratory experiments.[68] The Center for Sustainable Energy Farming (CfSEF) is a Los Angeles-based non-profit research organization dedicated to Jatropha research in the areas of plant science, agronomy, and horticulture. Successful exploration of these disciplines is projected to increase Jatropha farm production yields by 200-300% in the next ten years.[69]
Fungi

A group at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow published a paper in September 2008, stating that they had isolated large amounts of lipids from single-celled fungi and turned it into biofuels in an economically efficient manner. More research on this fungal species; Cunninghamella japonica, and others, is likely to appear in the near future.[70] The recent discovery of a variant of the fungus Gliocladium roseum points toward the production of so-called mycodiesel from cellulose. This organism was recently discovered in the rainforests of northern Patagonia and has the unique capability of converting cellulose into medium length hydrocarbons typically found in diesel fuel.[71