A Spanish company says that it has found a way to use solar energy, photosynthesis and an electromagnetic field to convert phytoplankton, a single cell marine plant, into oil. “That process allows us to obtain biopetroleum, equivalent to that of fossil origin,” said Bio Fuel Systems.
Fossil fuel, the crude oil from the ground, is composed of decayed plants and animals that lived in ancient seas millions of years ago. Like other natural resources, it is considered a non-renewable energy source that may someday be depleted. Biofuels made from plants offer a sustainable, renewable source of clean fuel.
Fossil fuels, when burned to run cars, heat homes and power factories, emit carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the primary greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. Plants, on the other hand, absorb CO2 as they grow, and the burning of biofuel emits less CO2 than fossil fuels. Biofuels therefore have an overall beneficial effect on the environment. Also, since they contain no sulfur, biofuels do not release pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), a main precursor of acid rain. The US has adopted biodiesel as
a biofuel and currently has 65 biodiesel production plants across
the country. This alternative fuel is available from public pump
stations and other sources in all 50 states. |
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