6.6.B Biofuels

Question 1

What is biomass:
What is biofuel:
what are the differnt types of biofuel

Answer 1

Biomass - organic matter used as a fuel, especially in power stations for the generation of electricity

Biofuel - a fuel derived immediately from living matter, such as agricultural crops, forestry of fishery products and various forms of waste (shops, catering etc). A distinction is made between primary and secondary biofuels

Primary biofuels - fuelwood, wood chips and pellets and other organic materials that are used in an unprocessed form, primarily from heating, cooking or electricity generation

Secondary biofuels - are derived from the processing of biomass such as ethanol and biodiesel which can be used by vehicles and industrial processes.

Of all the energy sources used by humans, fuelwood perhaps has the longest history. However, while fuelwood remains important in the energy mix of some parts of the world, biomass has recently come into prominence with the commercial use of a number of relatively new biofuels. This is organic matter used as a fuel, for example in power stations for the generation of electricity.

Question 2

Explain biofuel crops:

Answer 2

The growing of biofuel crops is being increasingly recognised as one way of reducing both the burning of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emisions. The most widely grown biofuel crops include wheat, maize, grasses, soy beans and sugar cane. In the UK, the two main crops are oilseed rape and sugar beet. Most of these two crops are converted into ethanol or biodiesel, which are mainly used as a vehicle fuel.

Question 3

Explain the downsides:

Answer 3

The downside: each hectare of farmland used to grow energy crops means a hectare less for growing much-needed food in an increasingly hungry world. They are supposedly carbon neutral, since the carbon dioxide they produce when burnt, is only that they took from the environment whilst growing, but there is uncertainty over how carbon neutral they actually are. (Since what was on the land before them, e.g. a forest, is destroyed.)

Question 4

HVO100

Answer 4

a biodegradable synthetic fuel. Hydronated Vegetable Oil which is purified and treated with hydrogen. This makes renewable diesel with a similar chemical composition of fossil fuel, however HVO fuel is from a 100% renewable origin from residues such as waste fats By switching from traditional fossil fuels for energy, significantly reducing carbon emissions. Considering HVO100 produces fewer pollutants.

Question 5

Grand Massif

Answer 5

reduced CO2 emmisions by 80% using HVO100
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