Biofuel

This paper presents an analysis of ethanol Biofuel as an alternative source fuel. The ideas are presented first by giving a brief explanation of what ethanol is followed by its mode of production. Other areas dealt with in this discussion entail the merits and demerits of the coveted clean energy.

Biofuel s is an alternative source of renewable and clean fuel developed from organic materials. One of the commonly used forms of Biofuel is ethanol, an alcohol developed to be used as fuel and not as the usual wine and beer. Currently Brazil is the largest national single user of ethanol Biofuel where all gasoline in the market has at least 20 %. Other countries have also increased production ethanol over time including the United States of America. Ethanol is currently used to run car engines in many countries around the world (Biofuel Guide, 1)

Zapata et al (530) assert that ethanol as an alcohol fuel is obtained from sugars existing in agricultural crops like potato skin, wheat, rice, and sorghum. In Brazil, it is mainly produce from Sugarcane while in the United Sates of America; the common crop used is corn.  However, sugarcane is very efficient for its high sucrose concentration of almost 30% higher than that of corn and also it is to a large extent easier to extract. 

Currently, a number of methods are used to produce ethanol from biomass but the most commonly used method is fermentation process. This process involves using of yeast to ferment starch and sugars found in organic materials such as corn and sugarcane. Starch is initially fermented into sugar before being fermented into alcohol again by use of various procedures to finally produce ethanol fuel, this process is referred to as dry-mill and out of the many methods that have been devised, it is for the most part widely used (Global Greenhouse Warming.com, 1).  Another method that can also produce fuel-grade ethanol is the wet milling process.  The chemical process through which ethanol is produced is referred to as transesterification where glycerin and methyl esters are left behind as byproducts due to the danger they pose to engines.  In 2006 the global production of ethanol was 13.5 billion gallons or 51 billion liters with United States of America and Brazil accounting for 69 % of the world’s supply.