BIOFUEL IN AIRPLANES

Made by Pearl
 INTRODUCTION
• Aviation biofuel is a biofuel used for aircraft.
• It is considered by some to be the primary means by which
the aviation industry can reduce its carbon footprint.
• After a multi-year technical review from aircraft makers, engine
manufacturers and oil companies, biofuels were approved for
commercial use in July 2011.
 WHAT IS BIOFUEL
• A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through contemporary processes
from biomass, rather than a fuel produced by the very long-winded
geological processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as
oil.
 TYPES OF BIOFUEL
Biofuel, like fossil fuels, come in a number of forms and meet a number of different energy
needs. The class of biofuels is subdivided into two generations, each of which contains a
number of different fuels.
First Generation Biofuels Second Generation Biofuels

•First generation biofuels are made from sugar,
starch, or vegetable oil. They differ from “second
generation biofuels” in that their feedstock (the
plant or algal material from which they are
generated) is not sustainable/green or, if used in
large quantity, would have a large impact on
the food supply. First generation biofuels are the
“original” biofuels and constitute the majority of
biofuels currently in use.
•Second generation biofuels are “greener” in
that they are made from sustainable feedstock.
In this use, the term sustainable is defined by the
availability of the feedstock, the impact of its
use on greenhouse gas emissions, its impact on
biodiversity, and its impact on land use (water,
food supply, etc.). At this point, most second
generation fuels are underdevelopment and not
widely available for use.
 WHAT IS CARBON FOOTPRINT
• A carbon footprint is historically defined as the total emissions
caused by an individual, event, organization, or product, expressed
as carbon dioxide equivalent. Greenhouse gases (GHGs), including
carbon dioxide, can be emitted through land clearance and the
production and consumption of food, fuels, manufactured goods,
materials, wood, roads, buildings, transportation and other services.

• In most cases, the total carbon footprint cannot be exactly calculated

because of inadequate knowledge of and data about the complex
interactions between contributing processes, including the influence
of natural processes that store or release carbon dioxide.
AIRLINES ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 2% OF THE WORLD’S
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION. IF THE INDUSTRY DOES
NOT SUCCEED IN REDUCING ITS EMISSION, THEY
ARE EXPECTED GROW TO 3% BY 2050.
 IMPACT OF BIOFUEL ON MILEAGE OF FLIGHT
• The planes are worse than most other forms of transport in terms of
the impact of greenhouse gases per passenger mile. Also, the flying
allows us to travel a far greater number of miles than we otherwise
could. Thanks to these two factors, individual trips by air can have
a remarkably large carbon footprint.
• A 6% share of sustainable 2nd generation biofuels is achievable by
2020,[and Boeing supports a target of 1% of global aviation fuels by
2015. This is in support of the goals of the aviation industry
reaching carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a 50% decrease in
carbon emissions by 2050.
 ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE
Advantages
• Cost: Biofuels prices have been falling and have the potential to
be significantly less expensive than gasoline and other fossil fuels.
In fact, ethanol is already cheaper than diesel and gasoline. This is
particularly true as worldwide demand for oil increases, oil supplies
dwindle, and more sources of biofuels become apparent.
• Source material: Whereas oil is a limited resource that comes from
specific materials, biofuels can be manufactured from a wide
range of materials including crop waste, manure, and other
byproduct. This makes it an efficient step in recycling.
• Security: Biofuels can be produced locally, which decreases the
nation's dependence upon foreign energy. By reducing
dependence on foreign fuel sources, countries can protect the
integrity of their energy resources and make them safe from
outside influences.
• Economic stimulation: Because biofuels are produced locally,
biofuel manufacturing plants can employ hundreds or thousands
of workers, creating new jobs in rural areas. Biofuel production will
also increase the demand for suitable biofuel crops, providing
economic stimulation to the agriculture industry.
• Lower carbon emissions: When biofuels are burned, they produce
significantly less carbon output and fewer toxins, making them a
safer alternative to preserve atmospheric quality and lower air
pollution.
Disadvantages
• Energy output: Biofuels have a lower energy output than
traditional fuels and therefore require greater quantities to be
consumed in order to produce the same energy level. This has led
some noted energy analysts to believe that biofuels are not worth
the work to convert them to ethanol rather than electricity.
• Production carbon emissions: Several studies have been
conducted to analyze the carbon footprint of biofuels, and while
they be cleaner to burn there are strong indications that the
process to produce the fuel - including the machinery necessary
to cultivate the crops and the plants to produce the fuel - has
hefty carbon emissions. In addition, cutting forests to grow crops
for biofuels adds to carbon emissions.
• High cost: To refine biofuels to more efficient energy outputs, and
to build the necessary manufacturing plants to increase biofuel
quantities, a high initial investment is often required, making its
production currently more expensive than other ways to fuel cars,
even though this could change in the future.
• Food shortages: There is concern that using valuable cropland to
grow fuel crops could have an impact on the cost of food and
could possibly lead to food shortages.
• Water use: Massive quantities of water are required for proper
irrigation of biofuel crops as well as to manufacture the fuel, which
could strain local and regional water resources.
 IMACT OF BIOFUEL ON ENVIRONMENT
• Biofuels are not a silver bullet for the energy problems of the world.
To solve the issue of dwindling fossil fuel reserves, all viable means
of harvesting energy should be pursued to their fullest. However, the
fact remains that biofuels are a reliable alternative energy resource.
• With more development and research, it is possible to overcome the
disadvantages of biofuels and make them suitable for widespread
consumer use.
• When the technology is available, many of the disadvantages will
be minimized and the market very clearly has potential.
• Much of this could rely on the ability of energy producers to
discover better plants to raise for fuel that use less water, less land,
and grows quickly.
ANALYSIS