Transcript Biofuels: From Plants to Porches

Biofuels: From
Plants
to Porsches
Joint Lesson by
Jordan Parker and
Marina Ziehn
Spring 2011
Resources
 What is a resource?
 definition: any physical or virtual entity of limited
availability that needs to be consumed to obtain benefit
from it
 biotic: plants, animals and their products
 abiotic: non-living matter, minerals not from organic
matter
 What is the difference between a limited resource and a
renewable resource?
 one takes a LONG time to form (geological periods), other
can be replenished or reproduced easily
Pop Quiz
 water
 copper
 coal
 silver
 wind
 forests
 petroleum
 animals
 calcium from fish
 sun/solar energy
 hydroelectricity
 wood
 gold
 oil
 iron
Developing/using renewable
resources
 Why might we want to use renewable resources
more widely?
 continuously available
 easily available
 made in large quantities
 How can we get/create renewable resources?
From resource to Fuel
 How are resources used?
Renewable options
Types of Biofuels
 Bioalcohols: alcohols synthesized chemically or
biologically, have high octane rating (which means
they can ignite well) but lower energy density
Types of Biofuels
 Biogases: gases produced by biological breakdown
of organic matter (without O2)
Types of Biofuels
 Biodiesels: clean burning alternative fuel, produced
from domestic, renewable resources
How available are these types of biofuels?
How efficient is each type of biofuel?