What Are Biofuels?

Today's culture is characterized by great use of energy, almost to the point of waste. The automobile is probably one of the goods that have characterized the culture of the 20th century. But the car also needs a source of energy to be able to move, which it obtains from the combustion of gasoline and diesel, fossil fuels, derived from oil.

According to geological studies, it is believed that oil may run out in ten years or less, depending on some, although other researchers consider this to be a mistake and the oil will last for many years more.

In addition, alternatives are also being sought that reduce both atmospheric pollution and soil and water pollution, looking for substances whose residues are friendly to the environment.

That is why research has been done on biofuels, substances of natural origin, which allow us to continue using our cars.

To replace gasoline, ethanol, a common alcohol, has been tried, which may require a part of methanol as an additive; However, since it is still expensive to produce, E85, a gasoline substitute, is currently used, which contains 85% alcohol and 15% gasoline.

Biodiesel is another biological derivative with characteristics similar to petroleum diesel. It is obtained from the reaction of fats, generally cooking oil, with another substance that will emulsify it while changing its chemical properties, producing a residue of glycerin, (which can be used to make soap), and biodiesel, an oily substance that without other treatment makes a vehicle work diesel.

A more recent technology is to use hydrogen as fuel, which when injected and reacts in a fuel cell, combines with oxygen to produce energy, and the residue is just fuel vapor. Water.