Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Biofuels as Green Energy

By Bruce Carl

In the search to replace fossil fuels, the global community is searching for alternative energy sources. Energy sources that are greener (do not harm the environment) than fossil fuels. Biofuels are a potential source of green energy.

Liquid biofuel is capable of being used in all types of vehicles. It is not only renewable but also natural. Natural compounds such as soy and vegetable oil are used to make biofuel. In addition, there are absolutely no petroleum used in the make. This liquid is nontoxic and biodegradeable.

Switching from petroleum based fuel to liquid biofuel reduces the amount of pollutants are cars give off. Biofuels burn clean. They do not give off any harmful by products. Several government agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) have already tested and approved biofuels.

One example of this is biodiesel which is made from alcohol like methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine and methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. Aside from methanol, some countries have also experimented with corn and sugarcane to create their own version of biofuel.

Glycerine is used in normal household goods. Glycerine can be found in both toothpaste and soap. Currently, it is very expensive to convert glycerine for biofuels. However, people have reported being able to build a setup to make biofuels for under $200. You would just need a source of raw materials.

Imagine having a fuel that burns cleaner, does not spew cancer causing chemicals into the environment, and is cheaper than gas. Your pocketbook would thank you, our world would thank you, your kids would thank you. You could be an environmental hero just for doing things to save money.

Road test have proven biodiesel is a good alternative. Vehicles runnning biodiesel have shown the same power to efficiency ratio both hauling and climbing. You can find biodiesel commercially available as B20 or E85. B20 is made by combining 20% biodiesel with 80% percent gasoline. Commercial oil companies combine 15% gasoline with 85% biodiesel to make E85.

The best part about using biodiesel is that you only have to make a few changes in your engine to be able to use it. Aside from making the car run, it also helps clean the engine. If you are concerned that this will void the warranty of your vehicle should there be a problem, dont worry because it doesnt.

We have not run out of time. There is still time to change our habits and move to renewable energy sources.

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