Chemistry For Energy

Biofuels diesel and ethanol fuels

Definition : wide range of fuels which are in some
way derived from biomass.
Term of biofuels also covers solid biomass, liquid
fuels and biogasses.
Biofuels nowadays attract public and scientific
attention because some factors such as :
increased of oil price,
concern over greenhouse effects emissions
from fossil fuels and
the need for increase of the energy
security.

Ethanol fuels
Also known as bioethanol
Act as the potential alternative to oil-based fuels, which can
be made from the local resources and also less polluting.
An alcohol made by fermenting the sugar components of
plant materials
It can be made up from:
sugar cane Brazil and Columbia using ethanol from
this source to power their cars.
maize - in United State, sugar from maize is being
used.
in South Africa, ethanol from maize will
be blended
with petrol (proportions 10%-85%) to produce biofuels.
Sugar beet Europe uses it to produce ethanol.

 Other than these examples, biethanol also

made up from trees and grasses. Ethanol is
produced from the cellulose which is more
difficult than using starch.
The process is using an advanced technology
which developed, called cellulosic biomass.
but, apart used to produce ethanol, biomass
can be used as fuels.
Example: bagasse (Mauritius), the solid waste
from sugar production is used to power
electricity stations.

maiz
e

Diesel fuels
As the supply of energy for any diesel-powered
engine to work.
Is not ecofriendly.

Biodiesel
o Can used in diesel-powered engine as energy
supply when mixed with mineral diesel.
o Made up : vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled
greases.
o Produced from oils and fats which the process
known as transesterification.
o Almost similar to the mineral diesel.

o Pure biodiesel is the lowest emission of diesel

fuels.
o For example : oilseed rape is being used in
Europe to provide the fuels suitable for
diesel-powered engines.
o Usually used as a diesel additive to reduce
levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and
hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles.

Oilseed rape

Illustration of plants to be
converted to fuels
Bioethanol
Sugarcane,
beet, corn,
wheat,
cassava

Sugar
preparatio
n
Fermentati
on
Distillation

Isobutylen
e

Ethan
ol

ETBE
synthesis
and
purificatio
n

Blending
with
petrol.
Distributi
on

Biodiesel
Methanol
sunflow
er,
soybean
,
palm,
coconut,

Crushing
Extractio
n
Purificati
on

Vegetabl
e oils

VOME
sterilizatio
n
and
purificatio
n

Blending
with
petroleu
m
diesel.
Distributi
on

Advantages and disadvantages

of biofuels
Advantages
Environment friendly lowering the levels of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because they
keep recycling the same carbon dioxide released.
Renewable the sources are from plants which
can be find more easily.
Non-flammable only ignite to a high
temperature compare to other fuel e.g
gasoline.
Provide similar performance with gasoline diesel-powered engines to perform.

Disadvantages
More newer than other fuels, therefore less
popular.
Only certain vehicles can use not all
vehicles have
engines which are using
biofuels.
Increases of foods price food crops are
food
supplies and are used for
biofuels.
Increases demands of
foods from people
will increase the
prices. This will make the
poor people
to be more poorer.
More expensive compare to petrol and

Do bioethanol and biodiesel

are environment friendly?

Formation of natural fuels and unwanted subtances of their

burning

Formation of biofuels and substances from burning

An initiative to produce biethanol

or biodiesel in Malaysia
Palm oil
Can be used to create biodiesel for internal combustion
engines.
Ways to used : simple high quality processed palm oil
mixed with petro-diesel or processed through
transesterification.
palm oil biomass offers great potential as a costeffective feedstock for biodiesel due to the increasing
global urgency to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
It can reduce the emission of carbon dioxide to more
than 80%.

 Malaysia do not has problems because it is one of the

highest production of palm tree country.

Nuclear power is potentially the

greenest of fuels
Nuclear energy nowadays is said being a green energy.
Green energy
the term used to describe sources of energy that
are considered to be environmentally friendly and
non-polluting.
E.g : geothermal, wind, solar, and hydro.
perceived to lower carbon emissions and create less
pollution.
e.g : nuclear.

 Nuclear power is the lowest emission of polluted gas.

Energy release is contained within the solid state, in an
enclosed reactor, rather than in an open, gas-phase system
as in fossil fuelled power plants.
Nuclear energy do not has carbon footprints.
It is carbon free. Hence, do not causes climate changes.
Cheap source of energy
Almost all countries can afford to buy and use this energy
as power supply.
Generate radioactive waste products.
The waste products will be stored as solid waste and
stored underground.
High cost of cleaning up and securing nuclear waste.
Wasting lots of money.