7 Hidden Benefits of Using Biofuel
With ever-growing awareness of global warming and sustainable life practices, Americans are making the switch to using biofuel rather than traditional fossil fuels. Biofuels are fuels that have been extracted from plants and crops. These fuels are then blended with gasoline and become an alternative fuel source for your vehicle.
The most well-known biofuels are biodiesel and ethanol. These fuels come from renewable resources and provide numerous benefits to the public, the economy, and the planet. Check out just seven of these benefits below!
1. Energy Efficiency
One of the primary benefits of using biodiesel is energy efficiency. While petroleum diesel is currently more efficient for use in a car or truck, biodiesel production is more energy efficient. According to researchers at the University of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for every fossil fuel energy unit needed to grow and refine soybeans for biodiesel, four and a half units of energy are generated. With petroleum diesel, less than one unit of energy is generated in return.
2. Reducing Foreign Oil Dependency
Opting for renewable energy like biofuel will help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil in combination with other sustainable measures. For example, experts say that using biogas, enacting tax incentives for hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles, and raising fuel economy standards for motor vehicles will help wean the United States off the need for foreign oil.
3. Health Benefits
It’s been reported that about 10,000 people die from pollution-related to gasoline engines every year in the United States. That is because gasoline releases nitrogen oxide and acetaldehyde into the air. These molecules react with sunlight to form smog, which results in air pollution. This air pollution then creates issues like lung disease, cancer, and more. Using biodiesel or biomethane significantly reduces the particulates being released into the air, leading to better air quality and far less pollution.
4. Positive Economic Impact
Another benefit of using biofuel is its positive economic impact. Biodiesel production has had a wildly positive impact on the economy over the last twenty years. For example, According to Biofuels Journal, biodiesel production was at about 500,000 gallons in 1999. Just ten years later, in 2009, it was at 545 million gallons. That added a whopping $4.28 billion to the gross domestic product.
5. Reducing Greenhouse Gases
Whether you think global warming is a natural occurrence or a man-made phenomenon, most people know it’s serious and needs to be addressed. By now, the average scientist agrees that fossil fuels have had a large hand in contributing to global warming. However, the use of renewable energy like biofuel can help significantly reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. In fact, one study out of Australia showed that the use of biodiesel made from cooking oil could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 87 percent.
6. Sustainability
A significant benefit of using biogas or biofuel is that it’s more sustainable than its fossil fuel counterpart. Fossil fuels are a finite resource; one day, the world will run out. On the other hand, biofuels are renewable energy made from plants. We can set plants so they may grow over and over again to continue creating biofuel. There are also many different types of biofuel made from various kinds of plants. Compared to traditional fossil fuels, the possibilities for biofuels are seemingly endless.
7. High-Quality Engine Performance
A final benefit of using biofuels is that they offer high-quality performance. Biofuels can be used in existing diesel engines with little or no modifications necessary to the system. In most of these vehicles, the performance is the same, if not better. Studies have shown that biofuels also help engines last longer since they do not have a high viscosity rate.
Why Renewable Energy Is the Future
The use of biofuels is clearly one way to improve our health, economy, and planet. That is why so many people are accepting that renewable energy is the future. We understand that fossil fuels are finite, and we will run out one day. By making the transition to sustainable alternatives like biomethane or biodiesel, we can create an overall better environment for ourselves and future societies.
DXP Renewables Team Can Support Your Energy Sector Needs
At DXP, we are dedicated to providing the most efficient renewable energy solutions for all your applications! We offer the best solution for your needs, from Centrifugal Pumps that can be used for CO2 Pumping and Sequestration to state-of-the-art fuel gas conditioning systems to help reduce turbine, engine, and boiler emissions to the atmosphere.
Contact us online today to learn more about the full range of renewable energy solutions we offer.