Compare and Contrast Fuels from Organic Sources to Biofuels

Biofuels are produced from material that comes from living or recently living organisms. They were created
in response to concerns regarding the pollution, lack of availability and cost instability of fossil fuels. The
three main sources of biofuels include biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel. All forms of biofuels are created
from different process involving different sources of biomass, including industrial and agricultural waste,
crops and sources of cellulose. Current biofuel usage involves biofuels as a supplement to petrol, such as
E10. It is not possible to produce enough biofuel to use as a complete substitute for petrol currently used in
cars. Biogas as a source of biofuels is produced through breaking down organic matter in an anerobic
environment. There are water plants in both Melbourne and Sydney that creates biogas from converting
their own waste into biogas. This process is done by placing waste into a digester to be broken down by
bacteria kept at an even temperature and suitable pH to promote bacterial growth. Gas release in this process
includes methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which classifies it as a fuel source. Bioethanol is a
renewable source produced from fermentation of carbohydrates. The production of bioethanol is sustainable
and identical to ethanol formed through the use of fossil fuels. Biodiesel, a liquid fuel containing
methyl/ethyl esters of long chain fatty acids. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil, animal fat, algae and
sewage sludge. These sources are reacted with methanol or ethanol, a process called esterification. This is a
cost-effective process that produces high yields and doesn’t require separation techniques. Biofuels are a
renewable source of fuel making them advantageous as the sources can be replenished. However, they are
not carbon neutral because fossil fuels are still used in the process of creating biofuels. Production of
biofuels in large quantity is difficult because sustainable and acceptable raw materials and affordable energy
sources are not always available. The production of fuel sources also raises the prices of the food, as crops
grown are being used to produce biofuels, rather than making food more available. Furthermore the use of
crops to produce biofuels leads to the spread of large-scale commercial agriculture and the spread of
monoculture which decreases diversity in crops and it requires large volumes of water. Essentially, biofuels
are a more sustainable and renewable option to fossil fuels and fuels from organic sources, however there
are still issues concerning carbon emissions.

A fossil fuel is any class of hydrocarbon-containing compound of biological origin. This includes coal,
petrol, natural gas, oil shales, bitumen, tar sands and heavy oils. Fossil fuels are formed through the process
of organic matter being covered in sediment and slowly being formed into the various substances known as
fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the current leading energy provider globally, as the combustion reactions
produce ideal amounts of energy needed to support the growing world. Fossil fuels are advantageous for
many reasons, products like octane produce a higher energy output overall than ethanol in cars which
increases travel distance for cars. The usage doesn’t need copious areas for agricultural purposes, and
energy for both tractors used and the fermentation process of biofuels isn’t needed, allowing more energy
for industrial and social purposes. Additionally, fossil fuels do not need to accommodate for the wastes that
biofuels produce, and the use of fossil fuels is compatible with all necessary aspects of life, whilst for
example, cars are not able to be completely dependent on biofuels. Whilst there are advantages to fossil
fuels, these sources do come with tremendous cost to the environment. Fossil fuels take millions of years to
form making them a non-renewable source of energy and fuel, making usage unsustainable. The price of
fossil fuels is only increasing, as usage leads to sources becoming rarer and in a higher demand. This
increase in price also results in an increase in price for their products including any object with polymers
and petrol. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of fossil fuels are severe and irreversible. The usage of
fossil fuels contribute to greenhouse gas emission and the combustion of fossil fuels also produces many
other harmful gases that have a detrimental impact upon the environment. The greenhouse gas emissions are
the leading contributors to global warming which poses a threat to humanity. Overall both biofuels and
fossil fuels have advantages and disadvantages however, a substitute for fossil fuels is desperately needed to
stop the increasing severity of global warming.