Significances of Biofuel Energy as a Renewable Source of Energy

Significances of Biofuel Energy as a Renewable Source of Energy

1.0 Abstract

Biofuel is an alternative source of energy that is used to supplement the non-renewable sources of energy. In the 21^st century, the use of non-renewable sources of power resulted in thousands of tons of carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases emitted into the atmosphere. The gases have caused greenhouse effects to the atmosphere and danger to the living organisms. People consume fish from the rivers, lakes, seas and oceans that have been contaminated by the release of waste chemicals from industries. The gases emitted to the atmosphere combine with the rains to form acidic rains which are harmful to human health if consumed and causes corroding in metals. The gases cause respiratory diseases leading to frequent coughing and sneezing. Biofuel help in minimizing the emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere compared to fossil fuels. The research focusses on the significance of the existing forms of renewable sources of energy and how its production can be increased to reduce dependence on the non-renewable sources of energy. The renewable sources of energy, for instance, a biofuel should be used in United Arab Emirate to minimize reliance on coal and petroleum.

Significances of Biofuel Energy as a Renewable Source of Energy

2.0 Introduction

Environmental conversation while sustaining the well-being of humankind has resulted in the integration of new strategies for inventing renewable sources of energy. Human being uses fuel for transport, cooking, lighting and running of heavy machines and equipment like tractors, ships, boats, planes that require power to operate. Non-renewable resources of energy are facing extinction at a high rate hence necessitates for an alternative, environmentally friendly sources of energy. Environmental management enacted policies and structures requires the use of energies that are environmentally friendly and emit less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The non-renewable natural sources of energy commonly used include fossil fuels, for example, coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The natural sources of energy have been used for centuries for multipurpose of the activities in transport, moving machines, cooking and lighting. Exhaustion of this resources, humanity will encounter many problems in performing the operations. People play many actions like cultivating land using tractors and machines, harvesting the products, large production of products in the factories, providing quality services by incorporating information communication and technology. All these activities require energy. The prices of the energy rose rapidly as the demand for energy exceeded the supply. When the price increases, the need for energy declines leading to excess amount with no market. This resulted in the production of renewable sources of energy, for instance, wind energy, hydropower energy, biofuel energy and geothermal energy. The paper analyzes renewable sources of energy, biofuel energy in terms of sustainability and efficiency in serving the United Arab Emirates Country.

3.0 Results and discussion

3.1 Results of dependence on non-renewable sources of energy

Fear of exhaustion of the non-renewable sources of power resulted in the innovation of renewable sources of energy. Greenhouse gas emissions of methane gas, carbon dioxide gas and other gases have caused a threat to experiencing climate change. Various sources of energy have been recommended to be used to reduce the emission of these gases. Coal and natural gas emit a significant percentage of these climate-changing gases. They trap a lot of heat that cause global warming. Climate change causes unpredicted weather dynamics, for example, the instant rise of temperatures, uncontrolled floods, land and mudslides and consecutive dry seasons experienced in specific regions.  These effects change the way of living of people in the United Arab Emirate country.

Human health has deteriorated due to much pollution of the air. Non-renewables sources of energy emit dangerous gases that combine with rain to form acidic rain. The water is concentrated with acidic materials that dehydrate the human body and the living organisms. Mercury deposits are disposed into rivers and lakes. They are accumulated to human consumption living organism like fish.  The process continuous and man consumes the fish. This causes cancer and other and other heart diseases that cause the veins, arteries and capillaries not function properly. Mercury causes neurological and neuro-behavioural damages to teenagers and young adults. Fossil fuel extraction and use emit Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen gas. Sulphur dioxide gas is dangerous to the human body as it causes respiratory imbalances like difficulty functioning of the lungs, throat cancer, unpleasant smell to the nose, dis-functioning bronchitis and many respiratory disorders. The gas is connected to many causes, including cardiovascular disease. Frequent inhalation of Sulphur dioxide gas lead to acute asthma attacks, wheezing and difficulty in coughing. The gas is mostly emitted in developing countries that are facing the challenge of climate change and global warming.

The land is the most essential factor of production in the universe. It provides the natural resources that are used in production activities. Extraction of non-renewable sources of energy leads to deposits of chemicals that are harmful to the living organism in the area. The wastes of that result from the extraction process, including huge rocks, polluted soils are deposited in valleys and slopes that alter the ecosystem of plants and animals in those areas. The land mines created after the extraction of minerals creates vast reservoirs of waters that are polluted. The depression in water cannot support aquatic life. The water contains dangerous chemicals that were used during the mining exercise. The side effects of extraction of nuclear energy, especially from uranium, is fatal. Energy experts have tried to innovate the solution to the side effects, but no possible long-term resolutions have been ascertained.

Oil spillage and frequent accidents have damaged harbours, shores and the ecosystem in coastal areas. Numerous living organisms have been destroyed by oil spillage. Some of the oil accidents include the British oil spillage in 2010, Gulf of Mexico spillage, and Florida oil spillage. This spillage resulted in the loss of fish worth over $5 billion. Most of these accidents have been orchestrated by inadequate readiness to extract, use of inferior technology and people being negligent. The negative impacts and exhaustion of non-renewable sources of energy resulted in the innovation of renewable sources energy.

3.2 Renewable sources of energy and importance

            These are sources of energy that can be reused and replenished easily. Their use does not result in environmental hazards compared to non-renewable sources of energy. Biofuel energy is created by conversion of biomass and organic materials into burnable fuel. Biofuel can exist in the form of liquid fuel like ethanol and biodiesel that acts as an alternative to fuel used in transport, for instance petrol, jet fuel and diesel. It can also exist in solid form like wood, sawdust, grass cutting, charcoal, agricultural remains, non-food energy crops, dried manure, and biogas. There are three generations of biofuel that includes; 1^st generation-food crops, 2^nd generation of cellulosic materials and 3^rd generation of Algae.

Biofuel exists in liquid form as biodiesel, gasoline, butane, ethanol and methanol. In addition, it can exist in gaseous form like hydrogen and methanol. Ethanol is an alcohol that results from the fermentation of sugar in sugarcane, potato skins, rice, wheat  corn and sorghum. Biodiesel is made from extracting oils from plants and seeds, algae, recycled cooking grease and animal fats. The process of extracting biodiesel from oils and seeds is commonly known as transesterification.

The use of biofuel has grown as an alternative source of energy and due to pressure on the non-renewable sources of energy.  The current high prices of natural sources of fuels and sustainability of fuel led to its use in most countries (Caye & Terry, 2008). Mitchell (2010) emphasizes that biofuel originates from feedstock and vegetable oil. Ethanol is produced by brewing beer as the sugar undergoes fermentation. It is then distilled to obtain the final form of ethanol that is used as fuel. Ethanol can also be produced by hydrolysis of celluloses that are found in the tissue of plants and the living organisms. Methyl ester, which is extracted from the transesterification process, is used as biodiesel.

Biofuel fuel is also extracted by heating compact solid at high temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius for two seconds. This results in the production of a significant biofuel. Biogas can also be generated by heating biomass into gaseous form. In the 21^st century, Henry Ford thought how to use the biodiesel to run engines of the automobiles.  Ethanol was invented as one of the best biodiesel that does not emit much carbon dioxide and increase the rate of global warming. Ethanol increases the production of octane that prevents the emission of gases. Ethanol fuel can have stored and pumped as a liquid to automobiles, vehicles and machines like farm tractors, boats, and aeroplanes.

Biogas is produced by anaerobic fermentation of biodegradable materials. The byproduct of this process results in biogas and fertilizers that decompose to form nutrients that are used by plants. Biogas can also be generated from anaerobic digesters. The gas can be used as fuel, mostly in producing heat and lighting. The gas is prevented from leakage to the atmosphere as it causes global warming of the atmosphere. This gas is produced and used by many households in the United Arab Emirates country as it is easy to produce and use. It is affordable and inexpensive for those who want to use it. It has created job opportunities for the firms manufacturing the gas as the production process does not require expert knowledge to produce.

Green diesel fuel is produced by converting animal fats and vegetable oils into fuel. Green diesel contains chemical components like petroleum diesel. The diesel can be used to move heavy machines and automobiles like tractors, transportation vehicles and planes. Internationally, 25% of the fuel is used in moving goods and services from location to another. The other percentage is used in running operational activities by business firms and other household activities.

Biodiesel is the most renewable source of energy which is safe to handle and used in transport. Combustion of the biodiesel results in cleaner emission that does not result in global warming and environmental pollution. The diesel is biodegradable compared to non-renewable sources of energy that do not decompose. When the biodiesel is mixed with petroleum, the mixture is efficient in moving heavy engines like those of generators, construction equipment, cars, busses, construction machines, ships, and heavy trucks. European countries have frequently used biodiesel that is extracted from plants and animal fats. The countries have adequate pieces of land to replenish the supply planting more crops and recycling the used wastes. The biodiesel fuel can be used in factories when heating commercial boilers that require high temperatures when converting materials into liquid and gaseous forms. In the United Arab Emirates country, use biofuel has not been popular like in the United States of America and Brazil. They produce 88% of the world supply of biofuel.

The Tadweer company in united Arab Emirate has established a large production plant of biofuel production. The company in Abu Dhabi is waiting for permission to expand the production and expand waste recycling process. The Masdar Institute project in the desert has attracted many giant companies in the transport sector. The project is ready to supply fuel as from June in 2020. The project has been surveyed by its partners like the Boeing airways, which is the biggest American company that provides manufacturing of aeroplanes. Etihad airway, which also provides airway transport to people and cargo is also a partner. The supply helps to enhance the performance of engines as the fuel cleans the fuel system, increasing octane and lowering dangerous chemicals that are emitted to the atmosphere. TNT express company in the United Arab Emirates has pledged to use biofuel to power its fleet of trucks. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted to the atmosphere. According to researchers, 32 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually by the company is curbed.

Table figure 1: shows the cost per 1,000 of British thermal unit in U.S. Dollars.

The renewable sources of energy provide competition to non-renewable sources of energy in terms of price. This helps to protect the natural sources of energy, reduce the emission of carbon dioxide while minimizing global warming.

4.0 Conclusion and recommendation

The entire world is facing challenges of global warming and emission of poisonous gases into the atmosphere. The gases pose a considerable threat to human health and living organisms. The use of renewable sources of energy can help to sustain the use of power at a cheaper cost. They are environmentally and clean compared to the non-renewable sources of energy. They have helped to stabilize energy prices globally. They have created jobs to households who can produce the biofuel and sell it. Future research should focus on how to improve the existing renewable sources of energy. The world population is increasing rapidly; thus, more sources of energy needs to be discovered and extracted to supply adequate energy in the United Arab Emirates.

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