Benefits of biofuels?

Question

I know that biofuels benefit the environment and developing nations, but does anyone know any sites that have specifics on this?

I cant really find any that are simple enough for me to include in my research paper. I only need benefits. I have that disadvantages to it. THank you

Answer 1

The only benefit is to the farm lobby that can now sell it's subsidized crop for a higher price while people who are barely sustaining themselves now can't afford to eat.  It doesn't even help pollution (it create more than burning the oil it replaces).

Answer 2

Biofuels are bigger threat to mankind than any other liquid fuel.

1. Energy for making them:

Uptill now, I have not been able to find any calculation on energy input and energy gain from cultivating different crops for so called biofuels. To produce crops, you need:

- fertilizers (raw material is usually natural gas, and there is also energy needed for producing them)

- energy for transporting and distribution of these fertilizers all over the world

- energy for processing crops and

- energy, which is used to distribute biofuels on the market

On the other hand, all you have is - burning it in your car. So the fundamental question is. Is making biofuels energy positive or maybe even energy negative process. There are no such calculations on the web.

2. ground polution

As already sad, modern crops need artificial fertilizers. There is a whole lot of nitrogen in them, which is BTW around 300 times more potent greenhouse gas. If they are being placed in the environment in larger concentrations than needed, they will polute ground water. Ill effects on human and animal health are well documented.

3. Food shortages:

Today, prices of foods are already unreasonable. By taking even more land away from making food, the prices of food will go even higher. We are already witnessing riots in Haiti and similarly poor countries.

4. others

Benefits?:

- they are simply represented in lower traffic emisions, when mixed with regular fuels.

- creating new markets and workplaces regarding biofuels crops.

- it is quite likely, that the prices of biofuels should go down, when second generation of biofuel-crops will be introduced

Final question: What happens when we burn the last organic matter on the planet?

Answer 3

Here are a couple of sites to check out:  

http://www.ncga.com/ethanol/pdfs/2007/06...

http://goefuel.com/facts/mythbusters.htm...

Also be aware that much of the disadvantages are bogus.  They are myths based on a huge propaganda campaign by oil interests who do not want competition.

Myth:  Ethanol takes more energy to produce than it yields. Totally false.  Plus do you have any idea how much energy it takes to produce a gallon of gasoline?  Drilling, transportation, refining, delivery, etc.  There have been some studies that show that gasoline production is LESS energy efficient than Ethanol production.

Myth:  Its fuel vs food.  NO, with ethanol you get both, the ethanol production only uses the starch, you still have corn oil, corn syrup, livestock feed, and other byproducts of ethanol production.

I could go on, but most of what is being promulgated against ethanol is totally false.

Answer 4

Try wikipedia. My car uses biofuels. The advantage is that the price is the half of gasoline´s.

Answer 5

The only biofuel that provides economic and environmental benefits is biodiesel produced from waste oil as it keeps the waste oil out of landfills.  There is no other environmental benefit from any biofuels because they take more energy to produce than they deliver and in many cases farms cause more environmental damage than oil wells.

Answer 6

it reduces pollution

Answer 7

Try this Website about Biodiesel:

http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/

Answer 8

The benefits to the environment and developing nations depends on whether the biofuel is first, second or third generation.

First Generation:  This is making alcohol from corn and other food products.

Second Generation:  This is making alcohol and diesel fuel from non-food biomass, such as woods and waste products.

Third Generation:  This is making diesel fuel from oil derived from algae..

The higher you go the more benefits there are.