As a society, there’s a noticeable shift towards a more sustainable future. On a global level, we’re seeing this shift in the energy sector, with renewable and sustainable energy sources becoming a focal point for the future. Climate change, energy security, and environmental degradation are all issues that are fueling the debate between biofuels and fossil fuels as the best, most efficient sources of energy.
Here, NW Biofuel is diving into the differences between biofuels and fossil fuels, exploring their impact on the environment, cost, efficiency, and whether they’re scalable and sustainable for the future.
Biofuels Vs Fossil Fuels: The Environmental Impact
Environmental impact is often the focus when it comes to comparing these two energy sources for their environmental impact. Fossil fuels, which include coal, oil, and natural gas, release significant levels of greenhouse gases, which are one of the leading contributors to climate change.
According to the EPA, human activities in the United States, including the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation, are the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, energy is responsible for more than seventy-five percent of greenhouse gas emissions.
These numbers are significant because they tell of the risks for climate stability in the future, if nothing changes.
Biofuels, on the other hand, are considered to be the more environmentally-friendly option. Rather than being sources from coal, oil, and natural gas, biofuels are generated from organic matter. This includes plants, algae, agricultural waste, and recycled cooking oils. Biofuels are just as versatile as fossil fuels, and perform in providing heat and electricity, along with being used to power vehicles.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Biofuels have a substantially lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels. Compared to fossil fuels, biofuel from corn biomass offers a fifty-two percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The production of cellulose ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to eighty-six percent compared to fossil fuels.
Air Pollution: Fossil fuels release a significant amount of air pollutants, which include particulate matter, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. Air pollution is considered to be a contributor to respiratory illness, as well as a number of other physical and mental health problems. Air pollution from fossil fuels also poses a risk to crops, forests, wildlife, and aquatic zones. In contrast, biofuel produces fewer air pollutants, making them a cleaner option for the environment.
Water Pollution: There has been some controversy about the production of biofuels and how this contributes to water pollution. High amounts of agricultural activity are needed to grow and sustain the crops needed for the production of biofuel. The negative effects of this are fertilizer/chemical runoff, erosion, and contamination of water sources. However, it’s also possible to create biofuels by using alternative water sources, such as wastewater, rainwater, and other non-potable water resources.
Biofuels Vs Fossil Fuels: Production Costs
Budget is a strong consideration in the energy sector. Fossil fuels are generally less costly to produce, especially in regions where there exists established infrastructure. Looking at costs from a broader perspective, we can see that as technology advances, biofuels become more economical to produce.
Biofuels are also typically more expensive to produce due to a number of other associated expenses. For example, the cost of producing biofuel feedstock, including corn, sugarcane, and soybean, can be high depending on the region and market conditions.
There are also the costs of converting feedstocks into biofuels to consider. While the costs of producing biofuel have decreased in the last ten to fifteen years, it’s still more expensive than fossil fuel production from a purely economical standpoint.
To offset some of the costs, and encourage the production of feedstock and use of biofuels, many governments around the globe offer incentives and subsidies.
Biofuel Vs Fossil Fuels: Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is important in today’s world, especially with the increased costs of energy passed on to consumers. The energy of biofuel and fossil fuels can vary, and they each have their benefits and drawbacks.
Fossil fuels have a higher energy density than biofuels, but the conversion efficiency of biofuels is slightly higher. Recent advancements in biofuel production and conversion technologies have helped to improve the overall energy efficiency of biofuels.
Biofuels also have the added benefit of being designed to be more efficient for specific applications. A great example of this is in transportation, where something as simple as used cooking oil can be converted into an energy-efficient fuel for vehicles.
As we work toward a more sustainable energy platform, the production of biofuel can be integrated with other renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power, to create hybrid systems that minimize waste and create an optimal energy efficiency output.
Biofuel Vs Fossil Fuels: Scalability
This is the big question. Are these sources of energy capable of production into the future? Taking a quick glance at the energy industry as it stands today, it’s easier for the fossil fuel industry to scale, based on the fact that the infrastructure is so well established. But, this doesn’t mean that the biofuel industry can’t take the lead.
Biofuel production is advancing fast, with production levels reaching new highs each year. The more established production becomes, the more the industry leans toward long-term scalability.
Perhaps one of the most important issues when looking at the scalability of biofuel vs fossil fuels is the resources they’re derived from. Fossil fuels are finite, and over time they become more difficult to extract. In contrast, biofuel can be produced from a wider range of renewable biomass sources.
Opponents of biofuel will often mention its dependence on the availability of land. An important argument to this is that biofuels can be produced from biomass waste and other non-food sources, which helps to reduce agricultural pressures and environmental concerns.
Trends and the Future of Biofuels vs Fossil Fuels
At this moment, fossil fuels are the dominant source of energy around the world, especially in regions that have well-established infrastructures. In the short term, it’s likely that fossil fuels will continue to dominate the energy market. However, in the long term, biofuels are expected to play a continually increasing role in the world’s energy production and consumption.
To support this, many nations around the world have developed renewable energy targets, setting the goal post for moving toward a future powered by sustainable energy. Electric vehicle adoption is also a driving force for the shifts in demand for fossil fuels.
Biofuel Vs Fossil Fuels: Our Future in the Balance
Biofuels and fossil fuels are different in terms of their environmental impact, production costs, efficiency, and potential for future scalability. Fossil fuels have been the primary source of energy, but the world is opening up to the potential of biofuels to play a major role.
Biofuels produce less of a negative environmental impact, and they are a sustainable option for the future. Biofuels are expected to become a growing focus in the global energy mix, especially in regions that have strong policies and incentives in place to support sustainable energy.
Sustainable energy is a major issue for our time, and it can leave the average person feeling that they are limited in what they can do to support sustainable energy practices. However, something that anyone can do, especially commercial kitchens, is to recycle their used cooking oil, so that it can turn into biofuel.
It’s a simple step, and it’s effortless. Used cooking oil collection services are available to pick up used cooking oil from commercial kitchens with zero hassle for the staff.
If you’d like to know more about used cooking oil collection, contact us at NW Biofuel today.