You've certainly heard about biofuels. But do you know what they are and why they are used more every day?
Biofuels are fuels made from organic matter, mainly of vegetable origin. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are used for their manufacture, that is, sources that can be replaced. The main products used in its production are sugar cane, soy, corn and sunflower.
The use of renewable sources is important, as fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and mineral coal) are products that will run out over time. Oil, for example, is a material that is the result of the decomposition of organisms that died millions of years ago. As it is a material that takes a long time to be produced, its excessive use may lead to the end of the product. That's why they're called non-renewable sources power.
The main biofuels produced in Brazil are ethanol and biodiesel. These fuels, when used, cause less emission of greenhouse gases, thus, they are important for the preservation of the environment.
Concern about the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide, has caused the production of biofuels to increase. Strong evidence indicates that the global warming it is the result of the large increase in these gases, caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels. Thus, the pressure for fossil fuels to be replaced is growing.
Biodiesel is produced from plants called oilseeds such as soybeans, cotton, castor beans, sunflowers, babassu, peanuts, palm oil and also from animal fat. It can be used neat or added to diesel oil (a fossil fuel). This addition allows for a decrease in CO emission2.
Did you know that biodiesel can be produced from sunflower?
In addition to biodiesel, we have ethanol as an important biofuel. In Brazil, it is made from sugarcane. In the United States, they mainly use corn. Like biodiesel, it helps to reduce the use of oil and the emission of greenhouse gases. It is worth noting that Brazilian gasoline contains about 20% ethanol.
Biofuels, therefore, are very important, as they reduce the emission of CO2 and generate less pollutants, being essential mainly in large cities. In addition, they reduce dependence on oil imports, a very important factor economically. It is also worth noting that the sugarcane mills are sources of employment and, therefore, they are also one of the positive points in the production of biofuels.
by Vanessa dos Santos
Graduated in Biology
