Bio-fuels are mostly derived from plants. Bio-fuels exist in all three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas.

Difference between biofuels and fossil fuels

Bio-fuels are different from fossil fuels in the following ways:

• Fossil fuels take million years to build whereas bio-fuels can be made very quickly, within a few days.

• Fossil fuels generate huge amounts of pollution. Bio-fuels are relatively safe.

• Bio-fuels are renewable, unlike fossil fuels.

Different types of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels are divided into four types: the first generation, second generation, third generation and fourth generation.

The first generation of biofuels derived from vegetable fats, starch and sugar, which in turn is derived from food crops. The first generation fuels are also derived from animal fat. Biogas, bio-diesel and vegetable oil are some examples of this kind of bio-fuels.

The second generation of bio-fuels is mainly derived from waste biomass, which makes it a more balanced option compared to the first generation of bio-fuels. Different types of alcohols and diesel generated from wood fall into the category of second generation bio-fuels.

The third generation comprises of bio-fuels from algae. Algae grown much for creating these bio-fuels. Algae fuel is very environmentally friendly as they can easily dissolve into the soil without harming it.

Bio-fuels in the fourth generation is produced by a method of micro-organisms are raised to work with carbon dioxide to generate fuel.

Advantages of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels prove advantageous in the following ways:

• Bio-fuels lessen the burden on gradually-vanishing fossil fuels.

• Bio-fuels are environmentally friendly. They help reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

• Bio-fuels, especially bio-diesel prove very lucrative for the consumer.

Disadvantages of bio-fuels

Bio-fuels are not bereft of criticism. Although beneficial to the environment, bio-fuels have its disadvantages, paradoxically in the environmental liability. Bio-fuels have received criticism for many reasons, some of which are listed below:

• Economists have long debated the usefulness of first generation bio-fuels in relation to the shortage of food because of them. Generating fuel from food crops makes food crops unworthy of human consumption. Some people believe that a higher priority than fuel, food should not be grown to produce fuel, but for human consumption.