Liquid Bio-fuels

Liquid biofuel consists of bioethanol and biodiesel. These are also derived from biomass. For instance, bio ethanol is taken from sugar cane, rice or sweet potatoes; bio diesel is derived from Jatropha oil or coconut oil. Furthermore, biodiesel can be obtained from woody biomass such as fast growing trees like Gliricidia (Nissanka, 2010). Indirectly, liquid biofuel is making use of solar energy. According to the article “Potential production of biodiesel”, Peterson says, “Photosynthesis is carried out many different organisms, ranging from plants to bacteria. Energy for the process is provided by light, which is absorbed by pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids. Thus, through the process of photosynthesis, the energy of sunlight is converted to a liquid fuel that with some additional processes” (Peterson, 2005, pg. 1).

In order to bring into being liquid bio fuel, people use many crops. Coconut is one of the main plants that can produce biodiesel. Other than that, there are newly introduced plants such as Gliricidia sepium, Jathropha, Pongamia pinnata, Azadirachta indica (Wickramasinghe, 2008) , Acacia auriculiformis and leucaenal eucocephala. Jathropha, castor, rubber seed, oil palm, soya bean and mustard are used to produce biodiesel while rice, maize, cassava, potatoes, soy beans and sugar cane are used to generate bioethanol. Gliricidia sepium has ability to become an inexpensive native energy stream with resident economic and employment opportunities (Nissanka, 2010).

 Producing liquid bio fuel brings several proceeds to the public. When people involve in collecting seeds, maintaining oil seed plantations and other farm work, they get paid. As a result, they can have an income. It lends a hand to poor people who only depend on farming to reduce their hunger and poverty. When their economy status increases, their domestic environments get in to a pleasant condition. It assists for children in ranch families to attend school and to have a better education. Moreover, it paves the way for women to empower themselves and to contribute to the family budgets (Wickramasinghe, 2008).

 The author notes that there are many more advantages in liquid bio-fuel. As Gliricidia and Leucena are nitrogen storing plants; these help to enrich the soil. In addition, it diminishes the soil erosion in when they are grown in slopes.  Farmers get profits from degraded lands because these plants can be grown in barren lands also (BEAS, 2007). People can decline their electricity costs replacing kerosene. Moreover, they can lessen the transportation expenditures to the city for kerosene. They can conserve some amount to get rid of their impoverishment (Wickramasinghe, 2008).

Further advantages are stated in the article, “Why Sri Lanka needs Dendro energy?” of Bio Energy Association of Sri Lanka. When country farmers gain extra cash from the Dendro or tree plantations, they can adopt animals. Hence, it leads to improve the dairy industry. Besides, people in country zones can have bio-fuel energy for those areas where electricity board cannot be reached. It causes to economic, social development in those remote places (BEAS, 2007). Bio-fuel reduces emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming and climate changes because plants absorb carbon dioxide from the environment (Endersby A., 2007). Consequently, liquid bio-fuel is a useful energy producing mode.