Plant Fueled: Grassroots Biofuel in Pittsburgh (2008) Video
Plant Fueled: Grassroots Biofuel in Pittsburgh (2008). Short Documentary about Biofuels in Pittsburgh. Biofuel (if cultivated, then also called agrofuel or agrifuel) can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material. Biofuel can be theoretically produced from any (biological) carbon source. The most common by far is photosynthetic plants that capture solar energy. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture. Biofuels are used globally and biofuel industries are expanding in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The most common use for biofuels is as liquid fuels for automotive transport. The use of renewable biofuels provides increased independence from petroleum and enhances energy security. There are various current issues with biofuel production and use, which are presently being discussed in the popular media and scientific journals. These include: the effect of moderating oil prices, the "food vs fuel" debate, carbon emissions levels, sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion, impact on water resources, human rights issues, poverty reduction potential, biofuel prices, energy balance and efficiency, and centralised versus decentralised production models. One of the greatest technical challenges is to develop ways to convert biomass energy specifically to liquid fuels for transportation. To achieve this, the two most common strategies are: 1. To grow sugar crops (sugar cane, and sugar beet), or starch (corn/maize), and then use yeast fermentation to produce ethanol (ethyl alcohol). 2. To grow plants that (naturally) produce oils, such as oil palm, soybean, algae, or jatropha. When these oils are heated, their viscosity is reduced, and they can be burned directly in a diesel engine, or the oils can be chemically processed to produce fuels such as biodiesel. Wood and its byproducts can be converted into biofuels such as woodgas, methanol or ethanol fuel. Some researchers are working to improve these processes. Biomass is material derived from recently living organisms. This includes plants, animals and their by-products. For example, manure, garden waste and crop residues are all sources of biomass. It is a renewable energy source based on the carbon cycle, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. Animal waste is a persistent and unavoidable pollutant produced primarily by the animals housed in industrial sized farms. Researchers from Washington University have figured out a way to turn manure into magic. In April 2008 with the help of imaging technology they noticed that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy. Providing farmers with a simple way to treat their waste and convert it into energy. There are also agricultural products specifically grown for biofuel production include corn, switchgrass, and soybeans, primarily in the United States; rapeseed, wheat and sugar beet primarily in Europe; sugar cane in Brazil; palm oil and miscanthus in South-East Asia; sorghum and cassava in China; and jatropha in India. Hemp has also been proven to work as a biofuel. Biodegradable outputs from industry, agriculture, forestry and households can be used for biofuel production, either using anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, or using second generation biofuels; examples include straw, timber, manure, rice husks, sewage, and food waste. The use of biomass fuels can therefore contribute to waste management as well as fuel security and help to prevent climate change, though alone they are not a comprehensive solution to these problems.Producer: Rob Cullen and John LandisCreative Commons license: Attribution 3.0 United States
Channel: Education
Uploaded: May 3, 2008 at 4:29 am
Author: rosaryfilms
Length: 28:31
Rating: 4.43
Views: 3217
Tags: alternative bio biodiesel biofuel biomass coal energy fossil free fuel gas gasoline grease heat oil sources vegetable
Video Comments
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BIONORD (July 24, 2008 at 6:21 am)
You do not have to search for other plants. Use tobacco as biofuel (bioethanol or biogas). The productions of biomass are higher than most other energy crops.
roidroid (July 23, 2008 at 4:05 am)
You can't get high from hemp. It's bred for it's fiber strength, and has a THC content so low that it's impossible to get high from smoking it.Algae is kindof the best of the best, but Hemp is still really good and we should be growing a LOT more of it. As a source of food, oil, and fiber (ie: for clothing, it's just as nice as cotton but a LOT better for the environment than cotton).
thundavolt (July 5, 2008 at 4:21 am)
Hemp? It's all good if you are all about getting high but algae is more viable when it comes to output per acre. Algae also absorbs a lot of CO2 so it does well with carbon emissions. Bio feul also reduces the metals released into the atmosphere.
SamuraiOkin (May 7, 2008 at 9:12 pm)
I used to support Biofuels, but sadly they aren't the answer at all. Unless we started to grow hemp, which could supply the demand better, Biofuel only raise the cost of grain and corn based foods, which even effects the cost of meat. Meanwhile corn biofuel takes more oil to produce, than it gives back in biofuel, and the trucks that transport it, use more gas than that. And Biofuel does little to address the polution problem.There are far better alternatives, But they're not as profitable.
steam0001 (May 5, 2008 at 5:25 pm)
That's why my tomatos swim around when I wash them! lol
ChoofMonster (May 3, 2008 at 3:32 pm)
Canadian corn is often genetically modified; it is exported for consumption to countries which do not allow it to be grown. They should turn all current GM food crops into biofuel and then ban it altogether. A tomato mixed with flounder genes is not a natural product.
steam0001 (May 3, 2008 at 3:30 pm)
There is also research into none food plants for the production of bio diesel. The tobacco farms in Ontario say that they can no longer make money growing tobacco and they want the government to buy them out because of all the money the government made on taxing tobacco productsMost tobacco farming land is low grade, not at all good for growing food crops. I was thinking it would be a good idea to find a plant that could grow in such conditions that would be good for making bio diesel.
ChoofMonster (May 3, 2008 at 3:23 pm)
Australia's sugar industry byproducts go into making ethanol, and the current wine glut of 1 billion liters is being diverted to the same industry. My car runs on LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) usually burned off at refinery level - a useful waste product. With carbon emission trading, these will likely become more popular, as they cause less environmental damage and are relatively inexpensive.Ford built its early cars with hemp and recycled wood, but they ran on leaded petroleum.
steam0001 (May 3, 2008 at 3:00 pm)
I have heard there is a local (Southern Ontario) company working to use corn stocks & other field stubble to produce ethanol. Most ethanol comes from corn it self. I watched a news story on farms near a new ethanol plant not being able to get feed for their animals locally & the feed they can get is too expensive for them to make money.
rosaryfilms (May 3, 2008 at 6:57 am)
Kyberspawn, from what I know (I am not an expert on the topic), the corn is actually corn stalks, which people do not eat. If you find otherwise, please let me know. Thanks |
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