Biocarburant

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Biocarburant is a fuel derived from renewable sources, such as plant biomass or organic waste. There are different types of biocarburants, but the most common ones are alcohols (ethanol and methanol) and biodiesel.

The main products from which biocarburant can be obtained are:

  • Grains such as corn, wheat and sorghum
  • Industrial crops such as sugarcane and sugar beet
  • Vegetable oils such as soybean, palm and sunflower oil
  • Organic waste such as crop residues and biodegradable waste

The advantages of biocarburant are:

  • Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as the combustion of biocarburant does not emit CO2 more than that absorbed during the growth of plants
  • Contributes to the diversification of energy sources, making the country less dependent on fossil fuel sources
  • Development of the agricultural sector, as many biocarburants are produced from agricultural crops
  • Possibility of using marginal lands for the production of biocarburants
  • Possibility of using agricultural production waste as raw material for the production of biocarburants

However, there are controversies and debates about the use of biocarburant in large quantities, as the use of agricultural crops for the production of biocarburant can compete with the use of the same crops for food, with effects mainly to the detriment of the poorest countries and populations, and can cause environmental problems if not properly managed, such as deforestation and the use of large amounts of water and fertilizers.