Summary of two articles related to group roundtable discussion

The first article gives general information about Bio-fuel or Biomass. Recently biomass or bio-fuel production has become hot topic on the discussion table among the nations. After the world was shocked by the shortening of the fossil fuel, people start looking for the alternative energy sources. Moreover, old fashioned petroleum fuel produces higher percentage of carbon dioxide emission to atmosphere. In fact biomass will contribute to the reducing of greenhouse gas emission to atmosphere. Bio-fuel is the set of technologies which can easily produce fuel from the crops.

Bio-fuel can be defined as solid, liquid and gaseous fuel. Man have been using solid type of fuels ever since fired was discovered. Over the last few decades, the invention of liquid and gaseous fuel gives hope for the alternative energy to the fossil fuel. Bio-fuel can be categorized into three generations which are first, second and third generations.

Under first generation, it can be sub-group into three main types such as biodiesel (liquid fuel), bio-gas (gaseous fuel) and woods (solid fuel). First generation bio-fuel is made from food crops which is becoming big issue over the world food crisis. Second generation includes cellulosic bio-fuel from non food crops. In the past few year production of bio-fuel has become sensitive issue among the world leaders.

Every technology has advantages and disadvantages, so bio-fuel has its own good and bad sides. According to the second article, bio-fuel production is doing exactly opposite of what its intended; it is dramatically accelerating global warming. The booming of bio-fuel has long worried over land use across the globe. Every year thousands of acres of forest are cutting down due to the increased in demand of crops for fuel production. In fact it will lead to the destruction of the world’s greatest rain forests. Bio-fuel will definitely be going down because it is bringing it into conflict with food crops and biodiversity in near future. People have been talking about efficiency of third generation fuel which comes from algae, but a fear among environmentalists is how it would affect the marine life. In the article it clearly shows that burning the vegetable oil will produce more nitrogen dioxide than burning the fossil fuel. Nitrogen dioxide (NOx) is adverse effect on the respiratory system. The emission of NOx is 10% to 15% higher than fossil fuel. It is an extraordinary number. One of the major disadvantages is the transportation and storage problems with biomass especially in colder climates. It does not flow well at low temperatures which cause undesirable for use at colder regions. Moreover, biomass cannot be transported in pipelines. It will increase the cost if the biomass has to be transported by truck or rail.

Despite a few benefits such as reduce carbon dioxide emission; it would take time for bio-fuel to be readily accessible. It will take many months to grow crops which are treated to convert into fuel form. Compared to other renewable energies, bio-fuel has more disadvantages. In fact studies show that solar energy has higher efficiency of 50 to 100 times greater than bio-fuel. Recently, the cost of living rising in line with food shortages in various parts of the world; increasing bio-fuel production is likely to make the problem worse.

Five words/phrases:

-Greenhouse gas: any of the gases whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect (eg. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide)
-Alternative energy: energy, as solar, wind, or nuclear energy, that can replace or supplement traditional fossil-fuel sources.
-Global warming: an increase in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature.
-Boom: to progress, grow.
-Biodiversity: diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment.

References:

Knight.M. (2008, June 13). Biofuels: What do the experts thinks? Retrieved March 01, 2009, from
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/05/30/Biofuels.opinion/index.html

Hess.M.S. (2008, October 30). How Biodiesel Works. Retrieved March 01, 2009, from
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/biodiesel.htm