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Biofuel
Biofuel was used since the early days of the car industry. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the combustion engine, conceived it to run on peanut oil. The Ford Model T, a car produced between 1903 and 1926 used ethanol. However, when crude oil began being cheaply extracted from deeper in the soil (thanks to drilling starting in the middle of the 19th century), cars began using fuels from oil. Then with the oil shock of 1973 and 1979, there was an increase interests from governments and academics in biofuels. However, interest decreased with the counter-shock of 1986 that made oil prices cheaper again. But since about 2000 with rising oil prices, concerns over the potential oil peak, greenhouse gas emissions, and stability in the the Middle East are pushing renewed interest in biofuels. Government officials have made statements and given aid in favour of biofuels. For example, U.S. president George Bush said in his 2006 State of Union speech, that he wants the United States, by 2025, to replace 75% of the oil coming from the Middle East.
Biodiesel
Refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. Though derived from biological sources, it's a processed fuel that can be readily used in diesel-engined vehicles, which distinguishes biodiesel from the straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as fuels in some modified diesel vehicles.
Biodiesel refers to alkyl esters made from the transesterification of both vegetable oils and/or animal fats. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic, and has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.
Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly. Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, but can be made at home for much cheaper than either. This differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum and government tax subsidies.
With the rising fuel costs seen in recent years and a threat to agricultural red diesel discounts, there is an increase in wheat based bio diesel production in the UK
Bio ethanol
Ethanol can be used as fuel for automobiles either alone in a special engine or as an additive to gasoline for petroleum engines.
Ethanol can be blended with gasoline in varying quantities to reduce the consumption of petroleum fuels, as well as to reduce air pollution. The resulting fuel is known in the United States as gasohol, or gasoline type C in Brazil
Ethanol can be produced in different ways, using a variety of feedstocks. Brazil uses sugarcane as its primary feedstock, but a large variety of feedstocks are possible
In the UK, feedstocks generally have lower energy values and the infrastructure for mass consumption is not in place.
Contact Solar Ray to discuss further.
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