Overview of biofuels

The energy needs of humankind were present hundreds of thousands of years ago, when people knew how to use fire in daily activities to barbecue meat, chase wild animals, and burn forests for cultivation. Since then, the energy source from solid wood has become increasingly important, with more than two billion people worldwide using solid fuels in the home to cook and heat winter.

Energy plays an important role for socio-economic development. National security and economic security are always associated with the energy security of a country. Therefore, in the policy of sustainable socio-economic development, energy policy should be at the top.

What is biofuel?

Biofuel (English: Biofuels, French: biocarburant) is a fuel formed from compounds of plant and animal origin (biological) such as fuel derived from the fat of plants and animals (fat animals, coconut oil, .), cereals (wheat, corn, soybeans .), agricultural wastes (straw, feces, .).

Biofuels are fuels formed from animal and plant compounds .

Biofuel classification

Biofuels can be categorized into the following main groups:

• Biodiesel is a liquid fuel with similar features and can be used instead of traditional diesel. Biodiesel is prepared by deriving from some types of bio-grease (vegetable oil, animal fat), usually done through transesterification by reacting with the most common methanol alcohol. .
• Biogas (Biogasoline) is a liquid fuel, which uses ethanol as a blend of fuel additives into gasoline instead of lead additives. Ethanol is processed through fermentation of organic products such as starch, cellulose, lignocellulose. Ethanol prepared in a ratio suitable for gasoline to form bio-gasoline can completely replace gasoline using traditional lead additives.
• Biogas (Biogas) is an organic gas including Methane and other peers. Biogas is produced after fermentation of organic biomass of agricultural waste, mainly cellulose, to form gas products. Biogas can be used as a gas fuel instead of gas products from petroleum products.

Advantages of biofuels

Biofuels are environmentally friendly.

In the past, biofuels were completely ignored. This is almost a secondary alternative fuel, taking advantage of small scale. However, after the emergence of a global crisis of fuel as well as a high sense of environmental protection, biofuels began to be developed in a larger scale due to many advantages. stand out from traditional fuels (oil and gas, coal .):

• Environmentally friendly : they come from plants, but plants during growth (photosynthesis) use carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas - a physical effect that causes the Earth to heat up). should be considered as not contributing to global warming.
• Renewable fuel sources : these fuels are derived from agricultural production and can be regenerated. They help reduce dependence on traditional non-renewable fuel resources.

Disadvantages of biofuels

The production of bioethanol from starch sources or food crops is thought to be unsustainable due to food security. The ability to produce on a large scale is also poor due to unstable supply due to weather and agriculture dependence.

In addition, the cost of biofuel production is still much higher than traditional fuel from which the application and use of biofuels to life cannot be widespread.