The rate of global warming has picked up pace in recent times. The Earth also referred to as the Blue Planet is getting hotter by the day. This in turn is leading to climate changes around the globe. Natural catastrophes have been predicted to occur worldwide, with an increasing frequency due to this change.
Greenhouse gas emissions are mostly responsible for this global warming. The way out lies in the usage of alternative fuels like biofuels.
Greenhouse gases mostly comprise carbon dioxide, which emanates from the use of fossil fuels. In contrast biofuels are sourced from crops. In addition to a reduction in carbon emissions from transports biofuels lend a variety of other benefits.
Prominent among them being fostering the growth of the rural economy.
It may be noted that liquid biofuels at present are a 'backstop technology' even in some developed economies. Considerable R&D is going into making them an economically viable option.
Facts about Liquid biofuels
Liquid biofuels, biodiesel and bioethanol may serve as an answer to the problem of rising carbon dioxide emission from everyday transport. The interesting fact is that the introduction of biodiesel and bioethanol into the existing diesel and petrol supply systems need not entail any expensive infrastructural development.
Innovation in the field of biofuels will augment its production and minimize the carbon emission process.
It is expected that the biomass based fuels along with hydrogen fuels will become key players in typically low-carbon economies in future. Again among the two biomass based fuels are more cost effective.
Liquid biofuel policy measures
Backstop technologies like liquid biofuel require extensive R&D activity and a conducive policy framework to foster and grow.
Government policy measures may be customized to the needs of the nascent biofuel industry. They may be provided with substantial slashes in excise duty. Policy measures may be introduced to oversee that biofuel production is done is a sustainable manner. Policy measures may again be introduced for granting various relevant 'capital allowances' the biofuel industry.
In particular capital allowances are helpful for bioethanol production.
The loss to the exchequer for the subsidy provided to the biofuel sector may be partly compensated from a nominal rise in excise duty on fossil fuels. Also the biomass based fuel industry will lead to an increased employment generation.
Biodiesel facts
Biodiesel is capable of substituting for up to 100 percent of fossil-fuel diesel. Usage of Biodiesel reduces particulate emission. It also adds lubricity to automobile engines (via the use of diesel fossil fuel with ultra low sulphur content).
Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic. It is suited for use in environmentally sensitive areas, urban areas and in enclosed spaces.
Biodiesel can also effectively clean-up crude oil.
Biodiesel is derived from plant oils by a simple modification. In Europe normally rape seed oil is used for the purpose.
Around one percent of fossil fuel may be substituted by biodiesel produced from WVO ( waste vegetable oils ) and other related waste matter. They are quite cheap also.
Biodiesel is the prominent alternative fuel, which renders substantial benefits for ' tail-pipe pollution' in buses and heavy goods vehicles. They are used normally at 20 percent substitution.