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Biofuels : From Plants to Porsches. Joint Lesson by Jordan Parker and Marina Ziehn Spring 2011. Resources. What is a resource? definition: any physical or virtual entity of limited availability that needs to be consumed to obtain benefit from it
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Biofuels: From Plantsto Porsches Joint Lesson by Jordan Parker and Marina Ziehn Spring 2011
Resources • What is a resource? • definition: any physical or virtual entity of limited availability that needs to be consumed to obtain benefit from it • biotic: plants, animals and their products • abiotic: non-living matter, minerals not from organic matter • What is the difference between a limited resource and a renewable resource? • one takes a LONG time to form (geological periods), other can be replenished or reproduced easily
Pop Quiz • water • coal • wind • petroleum • calcium from fish • hydroelectricity • gold • iron • copper • silver • forests • animals • sun/solar energy • wood • oil
Developing/using renewable resources • Why might we want to use renewable resources more widely? • continuously available • easily available • made in large quantities • How can we get/create renewable resources?
From resource to Fuel • How are resources used?
Types of Biofuels • Bioalcohols: alcohols synthesized chemically or biologically, have high octane rating (which means they can ignite well) but lower energy density
Types of Biofuels • Biogases: gases produced by biological breakdown of organic matter (without O2)
Types of Biofuels • Biodiesels: clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources How available are these types of biofuels? How efficient is each type of biofuel?