Germany Revolutionizes Biofuels
As the world's attention has turned to renewable energy [http://www.new-energy-portal.com/] as a means to aid in the maintenance of the environment, Germany has taken charge as a leader in biofuels. Biofuels are often used to power automobiles and other machinery. They are derived from animal waste or from plant matter such as grain or rapeseed oil. Harmful emissions from fossil fuels are thus avoided.
In an effort to revolutionize biofuel use and technology, Germany decreed that 20% of all fuel consumed would be biofuel by the year 2020. A new fuel known as E-10 was supposed to have been introduced in 2009, made up of 90% ethanol. Ethanol is a renewable energy alcohol made from the fermentation of sugar. Unfortunately, the German Automobile Club found that nearly 3.7 million cars were unable to convert the fuel into power. The original estimate was that only around 1 million cars would be affected. Critics of the plan to accelerate the use of first generation biofuels like ethanol propose that if more crops are used to produce biofuel in Germany, then the price of food crops would rise. In addition, the demand for sugar cane imports from Brazil would threaten more rain forest acreage. They found the news that the ethanol revolution had hit a snag encouraging.
However, this obstacle has not stopped Germany's biofuels industry. In fact, the nation is nearly ready to start commercial production of biofuels this year. A plant built by Choren Industries is in the final stages of construction in Freiburg, a city in the southern part of the country. Using wood-based products, the goal is to produce 15,000 tonnes of biomass-to-liquid gas, a second generation biofuel. Freiburg is already renowned for its recycling efforts, and with the addition of a biofuels plant, they will certainly gain further recognition as an eco-city. As long ago as 1992, Freiburg city council passed a resolution allowing for only low-energy buildings to be constructed on municipal land.
Choren Industries plans to study the political climate in Germany before constructing larger biofuels [http://www.new-energy-portal.com/information/earth/biofuel] plants. Although they do not produce first generation biofuels from renewable energy materials such as palm oil and rapeseed oil (keeping food costs down), production of second generation biofuels from wood is costlier to produce. Choren is more interested in working in cooperation with German citizens than forcing biofuel plants upon them. When it comes to the renewable energy of biofuels, Germany wishes to lead by example, not by force.
In an effort to revolutionize biofuel use and technology, Germany decreed that 20% of all fuel consumed would be biofuel by the year 2020. A new fuel known as E-10 was supposed to have been introduced in 2009, made up of 90% ethanol. Ethanol is a renewable energy alcohol made from the fermentation of sugar. Unfortunately, the German Automobile Club found that nearly 3.7 million cars were unable to convert the fuel into power. The original estimate was that only around 1 million cars would be affected. Critics of the plan to accelerate the use of first generation biofuels like ethanol propose that if more crops are used to produce biofuel in Germany, then the price of food crops would rise. In addition, the demand for sugar cane imports from Brazil would threaten more rain forest acreage. They found the news that the ethanol revolution had hit a snag encouraging.
However, this obstacle has not stopped Germany's biofuels industry. In fact, the nation is nearly ready to start commercial production of biofuels this year. A plant built by Choren Industries is in the final stages of construction in Freiburg, a city in the southern part of the country. Using wood-based products, the goal is to produce 15,000 tonnes of biomass-to-liquid gas, a second generation biofuel. Freiburg is already renowned for its recycling efforts, and with the addition of a biofuels plant, they will certainly gain further recognition as an eco-city. As long ago as 1992, Freiburg city council passed a resolution allowing for only low-energy buildings to be constructed on municipal land.
Choren Industries plans to study the political climate in Germany before constructing larger biofuels [http://www.new-energy-portal.com/information/earth/biofuel] plants. Although they do not produce first generation biofuels from renewable energy materials such as palm oil and rapeseed oil (keeping food costs down), production of second generation biofuels from wood is costlier to produce. Choren is more interested in working in cooperation with German citizens than forcing biofuel plants upon them. When it comes to the renewable energy of biofuels, Germany wishes to lead by example, not by force.