A Bright Future With Biofuels
First generation of biofuels consisits of biofuels coming from all edible food sources. They are the easiest to process and convert into biofuels. However they also are the least efficent biofuels. Within first generation there are different types of biofuels.
First Generation Biofuels
Ethanol
Ethanol is mainly derrived from corn, and sugar.For the production of ethanol only the cob can be used. However technologies are being explored that can utilize all parts of the crop. To make ethanol the crops must be ground into flour, then water and some enzymes are added to create what is called mash. The enzymes convert the mash from a starch to a sugar. After that, the mash gets mixed with ammonia and cooked to help kill bacteria prior to fermentation. The mash is then cooled and has yeast added in for it to start fermentation. After about 40 to 50 hours the fermentation is done and the ethanol is then taken and distilled to make it 100% pure alcohol. After that a denaturant, like gasoline is added. [4.1]
Biodiesel
Biodiesel can be made from a variety of different plants and non-plants. Soybeans, vegetable oils, and animal fats are some of the materials that can be used to produce biodiesels. When vegetable oils are used, the oils themselves have already been used and being reused instead of thrown away. Biodiesels from vegetable oils have reduced pollution by 80%-90%. The oils or fats go through a process of transesterfication to be converted into biodiesel. Transesterification is taking one chemical group and switching it with another chemical group. [4.2]
Fractionation
Fractionantion is a new technology in field of biofuels. Fractionation gives companies the ability to produce more ethanolthan they could before. Fractionantion is the seperation of parts of corn grains. This allows for more fermentation to occur, the starches are now easier to breakdown, natural gas can be saved because it is easier to dry out parts of the kernal, and so many other things. The ethanol company POET is currently looking into fractionantion. [4.3]
Fractionation is the seperation of the Endosperm, Pericarp, and the Germ. [4.6]