The use of renewable fuels is gaining more prominence these days, after all, as oil is not renewable, this fossil fuel will one day run out. Furthermore, it and its derivatives have two major problems, one is the fact that they release large amounts of polluting gases in the atmosphere, responsible for the greenhouse effect, global warming and the occurrence of rain acidic; and the other reason is the large price variations, as its deposits are located in troubled regions in a political sense.
Oil is not renewable
Several proposals have emerged to replace fossil fuels, among them the biofuels, which arise to replace diesel oil, with special emphasis on the biodiesel.
Even at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the Rio+20, held from June 13 to 22, 2012, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, planned the use of renewable sources in its energy matrix, thus avoiding going against the theme of the event.
For example, will be used B20in the event generators, which is a diesel oil with 20% biodiesel
. According to data provided by the National Organizing Committee (CNO) of Rio+20, this strategy will reduce the consumption of 280 thousand liters of fossil diesel, which is enough to fuel a bus for more than 800,000 kilometers or a round trip to Moon.This is an important initiative, as Brazil currently consumes around 40 billion liters of diesel oil and imports 2 billion liters a year.
You biofuels can be defined as every product useful for energy generation, obtained from biomass. Biodiesel is a type of biofuel, whose raw material is vegetable oils (such as soybeans, peanuts, castor beans, cotton, babassu, palm, sunflower, palm oil, canola, sesame and corn) and animal fats (as beef tallow), in addition to frying oil. Its composition is methyl or ethyl fatty acid esters, obtained from the transesterification reaction of triglycerides.
Castor beans, sunflowers, corn and soybeans are examples of vegetable oils used to produce biodiesel
In Brazil, Law No. 11,097, of January 13, 2005, was approved, making the addition of 2% mandatory of this biofuel to diesel oil of fossil origin as of January 2008, a mixture known as B2. In 2008, the compulsory mixture increased to 3% (B3) and in 2009 to 4% (B4); and this value has only been growing. Pure biodiesel is called B100.
There are numerous benefits in the use of biodiesel, see some of them:
• It is obtained from renewable sources;
• Does not contain sulfur compounds (with sulfur) and, therefore, does not contribute to the formation of acid rain;
• É biodegradable;
• job and income generation in less favored regions of the country, such as the semi-arid northeast, since this culture involves a large part of family farmers;
• It is called “clean fuel” in the sense that it interferes little in the carbon cycle and, consequently, in the greenhouse effect and global warming. This is because the carbon released in the form of carbon dioxide in the burning of the biofuel re-fixes in the plant during its growth through photosynthesis. In this way, the carbon balance is equal to zero for the atmosphere. Fossil fuels, such as those derived from petroleum, emit carbon dioxide from their extraction to their burning;
• The above advantage is also translated into less public health costs, given the large consumption of diesel oil in road and automotive transport in large cities;
• Decreases Brazil's spending on imports of diesel oil from petroleum and also stops exporting grains in natura, crushing and producing oil and bran within the country;
• Diversify the energy matrix Brazilian;
• Reinforces Brazil's leading role in international agreements and commitments on respect for the environment and climate change.
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But, there are still some negative points in its use. One of them is that the Biodiesel is not a totally clean fuel, as some may come to think; this concept is restricted to the element carbon only, as has already been said.
However, when it comes to the cycles of other elements, such as nitrogen, this is not what happens. Nitrogen and other elements are macro-constituents of plants planted for the production of biofuels, and must be annually incorporated into the soil in the form of fertilizers. As a result of the fertilization process, there is no longer a balance condition equal to zero for these elements.
Another inconvenience is that the use of biodiesel takes place through the combustion process, and no combustion process is environmentally clean. The consequences are not global, but have regional impacts.
Also, a challenge seen by the government is the organization of family farmers as biodiesel suppliers, because the prices paid by the rhinochemical industry (chemical industry that uses castor oil to manufacture any product, such as cosmetics, greases and lubricants) are more attractive to these farmers.
These and other points that need to be improved, in addition to alternatives and fuel strategies that can fully meet environmental needs, economic and social, should be discussed by a large number of people, as the possible benefits and harms can affect a large part of the population.
One of the objectives of Rio+20 is exactly that, to debate the different aspects of the issue at such a delicate moment for the Brazil, which is building its future, and for the world, which is facing a forecast of huge climate change proportions.
By Jennifer Fogaça
Graduated in Chemistry
