| One Green Energy Source Is Biofuel |
 |
 |
| Written by Nathan Mitchie | |||
| Monday, 09 May 2011 09:05 | |||
|
Biofuels are also a green energy source. It has been around for a very long time and lately, people are beginning to take notice. Liquid biofuel used in cars, is a natural and renewable domestic fuel that can only be used for diesel engines. This can be made from vegetable oils, most typically soy and corn. The nice thing about it is that it contains no petroleum, it's nontoxic, and it's biodegradable. When you fill up with biofuel, you reduce the pollutants in the air because it does not emit anything. Right now, it is the only fuel approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), passed every Heath-Effects Test of the Clean Air Act, and meets the requirements of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). An example of this is biodiesel which is manufactured from alcohol, like methanol, and a chemical process that splits 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 formula of biofuel. Glycerine is a common product used in both biofuels and in making toothpaste and soap. Since it is quite new, the process of converting it is quite expensive and right now, this is still much more expensive per gallon compared to petroleum. If you review what you pay for it, the returns are huge because you get to do your share to preserve a cleaner environment, an improvement in air quality and a reduction of cancer-causing agents. One less expensive and basic method for making bio-diesel is by collecting cooking oil and then processing it. This may not be good your car's engine so use caution if you decide to try it. If skeptical about biodiesels, research has shown that its abilities on the road is just as good as petroleum in terms of power to efficiency, hauling, and climbing. You can use biodiesel in its pure form or blended with petroleum fuel. The most common mixture in the market is 20/80 and is referred to as "B20". This means that 20% is biodiesel and the remainder is 80% petroleum. Another version is the E85 which is fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. The good part about using biodiesel is that you only have to make a few changes to your engine to be able to use it. Aside from making the vehicle run, it also helps clean the engine. If you are concerned that this will null the guarantee of your vehicle should there be a problem, don't worry because it doesn't. In the United States, B20 is the most common biofuel available but there are not many gas stations that dispense it. When cars first rolled out in the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Ford intended to make these vehicles, especially the Model T's, run using ethanol. Tests have even shown that these may also have run using peanut oil. But this never happened because huge oil deposits were discovered and diesel was cheap. It was only when our need for oil increased in the 1970's, 1980's, 1990's and in the early time of this century that people started to realize that to reduce our demand on foreign oil that we should try using biodiesels and other forms of alternative energy. Is it too late? Not yet because there is still time to use biofuels and other green fuels as green energy sources. About the Author: Nathan Mitchie has an excellent site where you can learn more about Tactics4 Living Green and what you can do to preserve the environment. Check it out to find how you can use used frying oil to make your own biofuel and start living a greener life today. Check out tactics4livinggreen.com. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites          
|