“Gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels.”
- They are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years.
- Except there are made from plants grown today.
- This is the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming.
- If biofuels are made from plants, and plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, crops grown for biofuels should suck up about as much carbon dioxide as comes out of the tailpipes of cars that burn these fuels.
- Since new crops can be continuously grown and made into fuel.
- Unlike underground oil reserves that require years of decay.
- The process of making biofuels consumes a lot of energy.
- Therefore there is much debate regarding the energy input versus energy output as whether the benefits are worth it.
Biofuel Facts, Biofuel Information - National Geographic. National Geographic. Retrieved 9 April 2016, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com.au/environment/global-warming/biofuel-profile/