Introduction
Production of biofuels is founded on living organisms that contain a formidable percentage of renewable materials that mainly stem from the process of photosynthesis. The solar energy is, therefore, the original and the main source of biofuels. Biofuels have a slight difference from other sources of energy, such as the burning of fossil fuels in that it has minimized or no notable carbon dioxide emissions (Selbmann & Pforte, 2016). The most favored form of production is the one that permits the emission of other types of greenhouse gases while removing carbon dioxide. Biofuels contribute a greater proportion of material used for renewable energy collected from the living organism. However, biofuels production poses a threat to food security as it increasingly uses biomass for fuel production. Therefore, despite biofuels' contribution to the production of sustainable energy, it poses a threat to environmental factors such as food production, environment, and land use leading to land-use changeover.
Historical Perspective
The production and the subsequent use of biofuels have been in existence ever since man discovered fire, which he sued to break down organic matter into reusable fuel. Wood was the first hallmark of biofuel that was used by the ancient persons for heating and cooking. The discovery of electricity brought forth another way of using biofuels. The advantages that define the use of biofuels made them popular since they were readily available and easy to use, and they quickly outpaced other forms of energy in the market, especially in the developed world. The use of liquid biofuels in the automotive industry was the hallmark of the use of biofuels in the developed world that is still common even in the contemporary setting.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Germans were the first investors of the use of biofuels in the automotive industry. They even invented diesel and even designed an engine that runs on diesel that was later improved by Henry Ford. The discovery of crude oil led to a reduction in the use of biofuels in certain areas of America, such as Pennsylvania. The demand for biofuels peaked during the world wars in which different nations wanted the commodities to power their vehicles and automobiles during the war. During the time, countries such as Germany ran out of crude oil reserves and had to look for other ways to power their vehicles in the course of the war. The most common invention was the use of potatoes to produce gasoline and alcohol. The war frames marked the period in which major invention took place as people were trying to outmaneuver each other to emerge as the winners and also to protect their territories. The period is marked with major technological inventions and advancements than probably any other time in history.
Analysis of the Use of Bio-Fuel
Growing concern about the possible creation of a source of energy that will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide is critical to the future of the planet. Effective implementation of biofuel as a feasible source of energy requires that it should be viewed in various perspectives that include but not limited to economic affordability, social, environmental, and technical feasibility. It is worth noting that bio-energy accounts for close to 10% of the total energy supply around the globe (Titova, 2019). It means that technically, the use of the dependence of biofuels for energy is a viable venture that has promising prospects for the globe even in the future since the expectation is that it will grow each year immensely to meet the demand of the global population.
The diversification of the economy means that the production of biofuels is a viable economic model since many people will depend on clean fuels to power their locomotives and for their home use. Biofuel is, therefore, a highly beneficial alternative energy source since it will the global population create alternative sources of income for people living in the urban areas in particular (Araújo et al., 2017). The creation of new income sources makes the use of biofuel economically viable because it will lead to a flourish of more economies, both local and international. Nevertheless, aside from the prospects of economic diversification, some scholars believe that the use of biofuels is economically inefficient because of the high cost of production, meaning that it is capital intensive since it requires a great deal of financial investment. A solution to that exits and helps in the reduction of cots.
The use of lingo-cellulose to produce energy is a viable means of energy production because they are easily available and thence much cheaper. The biochemical processes that lead to the generation of fuels from the mentioned substance require sophisticated technology that may also escalate the cost of the whole production process (Ozturk, 2016). The utilization of the new technology may mean higher levels of production of biofuels but, on the contrary, may lead to job losses in the long-term. Environmentally, the use of biofuels is friendly and portends better prospects for the environment in terms of limiting the production of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, and reducing the general carbon footprint around the globe (Raman & Mohr, 2014). The world is currently in search of eco-friendly fuels, and biofuel is a viable alternative.
Ethical Considerations Regarding the Use of Bio-Fuels
The production of the utilization of biofuels should be environmentally friendly.
The production and use of biofuels should lead to the minimization and reduction of greenhouse gases.
The production of biofuels should not infringe on the fundamental rights of individuals such as water, health, and food
Fair and basic trading principles should guide the production and sale of biofuels
The distribution of benefits and the costs of biofuels should be equitable. For instance, both the developed and the developing countries should incur costs and enjoy the benefits, not the developing countries incurring the cost while the developed world enjoys the benefits.
Conclusion
Biofuels present a viable source of energy to the global community. Nevertheless, the production of biofuels threatens basic human rights, such as health and food production. Additionally, the emissions that accompany the production of biofuels pollute the environment, meaning that the whole process is not viable. The biochemical processes that lead to the generation of fuels from the mentioned substance require sophisticated technology that may also escalate the cost of the whole production process. In general, the production and use of biofuels are not technically, economically, and technically feasible.
References
Araújo, K., Mahajan, D., Kerr, R., & Silva, M. D. (2017). Global biofuels at the crossroads: an overview of technical, policy, and investment complexities in the sustainability of biofuel development. Agriculture , 7 (4), 32.
Ozturk, I. (2016). Utilizing biofuels for sustainable development in the panel of 17 developed and developing countries. GCB Bioenergy , 8(4), 826-836.
Raman, S., & Mohr, A. (2014). Biofuels and the role of space in sustainable innovation journeys. Journal of Cleaner Production , 65 , 224-233.
Ritchie, H & Roser, H. (2017). CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Our World Data. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions
Selbmann, K., & Pforte, L. (2016). Evaluation of Ecological Criteria of Biofuel Certification in Germany. Sustainability , 8 (9), 936
Titova, E. S. (2019). Biofuel Application as a Factor of Sustainable Development Ensuring: The Case of Russia. Energies , 12 (20), 3948.
Appendices
Graph showing Global Greenhouse gas emission by region (Source: Ritchie & Roser, 2017)
