BIOFUELS

WHAT ARE BIOFUELS?

Made from biomass
Plant, algae material or
animal waste
Largest source of renewable
energy
Multiple types of biofuels
DETAILS OF
THE PROCESS
All biofuels will go through the similar
process of filtering, removing water,
titration, preparation, heating and mixing,
as well as settling and separation.
However other types of biofuels will also
go through additional processes like
fermentation, transesterification,
gasification, chemical reactions, and
added heat.
HOW BIODIESEL IS CREATED

Biodiesel goes through a process called

transesterification
Transesterification is mixing the chemical
compounds called “ester” and alcohol

In order for this process to occur methanol must be

added to vegetable oil

A catalyst is used during this process which can be

either Potassium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydroxide
ALGAE

Ideal source of biofuel

Does not displace food crops or increase the
cost of food
Little energy needed to grow
Minimal infrastructure required to harvest
ALGAE -> BIOFEUL
 TYPES OF BIOFUELS
Organic/Inorganic material BIOGas butanol

Organic and inorganic materials

Example: wood Biogas is composed of methane gas Made from plants like those with grains
Created by the breakdown of biomass Example: wheat

ethanol Methanol biodiesEl

Ethanol is made from both plants and Created by the conversion of biomass Made up of plants, animal fats
animal wastes to methanol and oils
Created by the fermentation of Occurs by gasification Goes through a process called
biomass transesterification
WHAT COUNTRIES USE BIOFUELS

USA BRAZIL CHINA

FRANCE GERMANY CANADA

ENVIRONMENTAL/ECONOMIC
COSTS & CONCERNS
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Water depletion and pollution
Soil degradation
Loss of nutrients
Loss of wild and agricultural biodiversity

ECONOMIC CONCERNS
Smaller amount of biomass (plants) for people
to consume or for the country to sell to other
countries
1 PLANT = 100 MILLION DOLLARS
1 PLANT = PRODUCES 38 MILLION LITRES PER YEAR
 THE BENEFITS
1 MATURE TECHNOLOGY 2 RENEWABLE
Plenty of research has been done Created from plant and animal waste
about biofuels to build advanced
technology to produce it.

5
LESS TRANSPORTATION
SOVEREGINITY
Doesn’t require long transportation
Allows countries to set it to their own price.
distances
14 6
DOESN'T PRODUCE SULFUR LOW GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS
Biofeuls do not contain sulfur which
prevents acid rain Mitigate the global warming issue to a certain
extent

8
GREEN ENERGY LOW COST
Has less of an impact on the environment Biofuels will help cut costs that would
and allows us to use our resources normally be spent on transporting fossil
efficiently fuels
9 CLEANEST FUEL 10 PRODUCTION OF LESS SMOKE
Doesn't release as much carbon into the Biofuels contain more oxygen atoms allowing
atmosphere it to burn faster producing less smoke

11 REDUCE MONOPOLY 12 LOWER TOXICITY IN

ATMOSPHERE
Can help reduce monopoly created by
fossil fuels Carbon released by biofuels is natural
Plants use this carbon for photosynthesis
 CREATES JOBS
13
For bio plants to be set up they require
people from many different career fields
15
PROMOTES AGRICULTURE
More biomass results in a higher demand
for farmers to produce suitable crops
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
4
Countries will be less dependent on other
countries to provide energy
Improve energy security and economic
stability
16 LARGE AMOUNTS AVAILABLE
Biomass is not a scarce resource
IIt is available on a large scale
Global opportunity for developing
countries to catch up in development
IS IT A VIABLE OPTION FOR US?

An environmental and economically viable option

Creating more jobs which will benefit the economy
Biofuels are produced from renewable feedstocks
and so in theory their production and use could be
sustained indefinitely
Can be produced domestically so we wouldn’t have
to rely on importing
Canada has about 750 million litres of advanced
biofuel production capacity and fuels are used
across North America and Europe
TO CONCLUDE
GOOD SOURCE OF ENERGY NOT TOO COSTLY

CREATES MORE JOBS ABUNDANT SUPPLY

LIMITS AMOUNT OF GREENHOUSE CREATES LESS SMOKE

GASES

WILL BENEFIT THE ECONOMY CLEAN ENERGY

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