Biofuel: Difference between revisions

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==Biofuels for transport<ref name="BIO" />==

The most widely used liquid biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.

The most widely used liquid biofuels are [[wikipedia:Ethanol|ethanol]] and [[Wikipedia:Biodiesel|biodiesel]].

'''Ethanol''' is a type of alcohol that can be produced using any feedstock containing significant amounts of sugar, such as sugar cane or sugar beet, or starch, such as maize and wheat. Sugar can be directly fermented to alcohol, while starch first needs to be converted to sugar. The fermentation process is similar to that used to make wine or beer, and pure ethanol is obtained by distillation. The main producers are Brazil and the USA.

Ethanol can be blended with petrol or burned in nearly pure form in slightly modified spark-ignition engines. A litre of ethanol contains approximately two thirds of the energy provided by a litre of petrol. However, when mixed with petrol, it improves the combustion performance and lowers the emissions of carbon monoxide and sulphur oxide.

[[wikipedia:Ethanol|Ethanol]] can be blended with petrol or burned in nearly pure form in slightly modified spark-ignition engines. A litre of ethanol contains approximately two thirds of the energy provided by a litre of petrol. However, when mixed with petrol, it improves the combustion performance and lowers the emissions of [[Wikipedia:Carbon monoxide|carbon monoxide]] and [[Wikipedia:Sulfur oxide|sulphur oxide]].

'''Biodiesel''' is produced, mainly in the [[European Union]], by combining vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol. Biodiesel can be blended with traditional diesel fuel or burned in its pure form in compression ignition engines. Its energy content is somewhat less than that of diesel (88 to 95%). Biodiesel can be derived from a wide range of oils, including rapeseed, soybean, palm, coconut or jatropha oils and therefore the resulting fuels can display a greater variety of physical properties, such as viscosity and combustibility than ethanol.

'''Biodiesel''' is produced, mainly in the [[European Union]], by combining vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol. Biodiesel can be blended with traditional diesel fuel or burned in its pure form in compression ignition engines. Its energy content is somewhat less than that of diesel (88 to 95%). [[Wikipedia:Biodiesel|biodiesel]] can be derived from a wide range of oils, including rapeseed, soybean, palm, coconut or jatropha oils and therefore the resulting fuels can display a greater variety of physical properties, such as viscosity and combustibility than [[wikipedia:Ethanol|ethanol]].

==Second-generation Biofuels<ref name="BIO" />==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Biofuels for transport<ref name="BIO" />==
-The most widely used liquid biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.
+The most widely used liquid biofuels are [[wikipedia:Ethanol|ethanol]] and [[Wikipedia:Biodiesel|biodiesel]].
 '''Ethanol''' is a type of alcohol that can be produced using any feedstock containing significant amounts of sugar, such as sugar cane or sugar beet, or starch, such as maize and wheat. Sugar can be directly fermented to alcohol, while starch first needs to be converted to sugar. The fermentation process is similar to that used to make wine or beer, and pure ethanol is obtained by distillation. The main producers are Brazil and the USA.
-Ethanol can be blended with petrol or burned in nearly pure form in slightly modified spark-ignition engines. A litre of ethanol contains approximately two thirds of the energy provided by a litre of petrol. However, when mixed with petrol, it improves the combustion performance and lowers the emissions of carbon monoxide and sulphur oxide.
+[[wikipedia:Ethanol|Ethanol]] can be blended with petrol or burned in nearly pure form in slightly modified spark-ignition engines. A litre of ethanol contains approximately two thirds of the energy provided by a litre of petrol. However, when mixed with petrol, it improves the combustion performance and lowers the emissions of [[Wikipedia:Carbon monoxide|carbon monoxide]] and [[Wikipedia:Sulfur oxide|sulphur oxide]].
-'''Biodiesel''' is produced, mainly in the [[European Union]], by combining vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol. Biodiesel can be blended with traditional diesel fuel or burned in its pure form in compression ignition engines. Its energy content is somewhat less than that of diesel (88 to 95%). Biodiesel can be derived from a wide range of oils, including rapeseed, soybean, palm, coconut or jatropha oils and therefore the resulting fuels can display a greater variety of physical properties, such as viscosity and combustibility than ethanol.
+'''Biodiesel''' is produced, mainly in the [[European Union]], by combining vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol. Biodiesel can be blended with traditional diesel fuel or burned in its pure form in compression ignition engines. Its energy content is somewhat less than that of diesel (88 to 95%). [[Wikipedia:Biodiesel|biodiesel]] can be derived from a wide range of oils, including rapeseed, soybean, palm, coconut or jatropha oils and therefore the resulting fuels can display a greater variety of physical properties, such as viscosity and combustibility than [[wikipedia:Ethanol|ethanol]].
 ==Second-generation Biofuels<ref name="BIO" />==