Benefits of Biofuels

For many, the benefits of biofuels outweigh any disadvantages. Biofuels are part of the green movement towards renewable energy, offering an alternative to the pollution and world dependence created by traditional gasoline, coal, and oil.

Biofuels can be made from soybeans.

What are Biofuels?

Biofuels are fuels that are derived from animal or, more commonly, plant material. Biofuels are organic in nature, and can be made from a wide variety of sources such as corn, sugar cane, animal fat, sunflower seeds, wild grasses, and soybeans. They are very different from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, which must be extracted from the earth's crust.

Biofuel has become a hot topic amongst environmentalists, who advocate for its use. There are certainly some disadvantages to the creation and use of biofuels, but there are also lots of advantages to making the switch.

Environmental Benefits of Biofuels

The main benefits of biofuels are environmental in nature. There is solid evidence that emissions from fossil fuels are contributing to many issues facing the planet, including global warming and pollution, and these types of organic fuel sources offer some solutions.

• Emissions – Fossil fuels have come under fire for the harmful carbon-based emissions they produce when burned. Biofuels produce fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuels, thereby reducing air pollution, greenhouse gasses, and toxins.

• Sustainability – As the world's supply of fossil fuels diminishes, biofuels offer an renewable and sustainable alternative. Crops can be grown continuously, and can easily be expanded to accommodate growing demand for fuel.

• Base Ingredients – Many of the elements of biofuels are considered "waste" products, such as corn stalks and other byproducts of agricultural farming. Even food industry waste can be turned into biofuels. Turning these products into an energy source could help a great deal with overall waste storage.

• Biodegradation – Since biofuels are made with biodegradable matter, they are less toxic than fossil fuels. If there is an accident that results in some kind of spill or leak, biofuels would present much less of a health and environmental hazard. They can be cleaned up more easily and much quicker, reducing expenses involved.

• Less Strain on the Earth – Digging for oil and coal, which is found buried deep in the earth's crust, causes a strain on the earth itself. From the dangers of coal mining to oil spills and the possible connection of earthquakes to drilling, seeking fossil fuels can be dangerous business. Biofuels would reduce these risks completely.

Other Biofuel Benefits

There are still more beneficial aspects to the production and use of biofuels, in addition to the environmental pluses. These include:

• Employment – No product can be manufactured and delivered without employees, and biofuel is no exception. Jobs ranging from farming to production to transportation would be created with the development of biofuels.

• Decreased Dependence on Foreign Products – Almost every country is capable of producing biofuels, albeit some with help from more developed countries. There's no doubt that fuel independence increases domestic security and self-dependence.

• Cost – While the initial cost of integrating biofuels into everyday life seem enormous, once that expense is addressed, the use of biofuels would be much less expensive than traditional fuel. Since production of biofuel material is also controllable, you wouldn't find the same fluctuations in price as you do with oil and gasoline.

• Greater Profits for Farmers – When biofuels are made from crops, the farmers who grow these foods benefit as the prices of their crops increase to keep up with demand. This could help farmers all over the world, who have traditionally struggled to earn a fair wage for all of the work involved in their trade.

Research and Development

There have been many studies on the overall costs and benefits of biofuels, and most of them finish with mixed results. Some of these studies base their findings on ethanol, a biofuel made from corn, and declare that biofuels will be too expensive and come at a cost to the world food supply.

It's easy to dismiss the entire premise of biofuels based on these findings. Fortunately, however, there are many other materials that biofuels can be derived from, so much more research and study is needed in this area.

• Ways to Prevent Global Warming
• 50 Specific Actions of Green Living
• Examples of Sustainable Development

• United States Recycling Statistics
• Types of Pollution
• Effects of Water Pollution
• Air Pollution Statistics
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Biofuels

• Category:Alternative Fuel
• Canada Alternative Fuel Strategy
• Go Green: Soy Candles
• Alternative Fuels Expansion
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