Biofuels

History of Biofuels

Biofuels have been used ever since ancient man discovered fire! Wood was the first form of biofuel that was used by ancient people for cooking and heating. Liquid biofuels date back to the late 1800s when Rudolph Diesel developed the diesel engine to run on peanut oil. Henry Ford designed his 1908 Model T to run on ethanol, and ethanol was used as far back as the 1860s to light lamps for homes and businesses. But by the 1930s, petroleum had become the primary source for fuel because of greater supply and better price and efficiency.

Interest in biofuels has taken off in recent years—country singer Willie Nelson even sells his own brand of biodiesel! Many people think biofuels may be what the world is looking for in a cheaper and more environmentally friendly fuel.

Ancient times-late 1800s – People use biomass materials (which today include plants and plant-derived materials, manure and even garbage) in the form of burning wood for cooking, warmth and steam production. By the late 1800s, wood was being replaced by coal as the primary means of steam generation.

1826 – Ethanol was first prepared synthetically through the independent efforts of Henry Hennel in Britain and S.G. Sérullas in France.

Samuel Morey developed an engine that ran on ethanol and turpentine.

1850s – Ethanol is used as a lighting fuel.

1860s – During the US Civil War, a liquor tax was placed on ethanol whisky to raise money for the war. The tax increased the price of ethanol so much that it could no longer compete with other fuels such as kerosene in lighting devices. Ethanol production declined sharply because of this tax and production levels did not begin to recover until the tax was repealed in 1906.

1919 – When Prohibition began in the US, ethanol was banned because it was considered a liquor. It could only be sold when it was mixed with petroleum.

1920s – Standard Oil began adding ethanol to gasoline to increase octane and reduce engine knocking. With 9 million automobiles in the United States, gas stations are opening everywhere.

1933 – Prohibition ended in the US and ethanol was used as a fuel again.

1940s – Ethanol use increases temporarily during World War II when oil and other resources are scarce.

First US fuel ethanol plant is built in Omaha, Nebraska.

1970s – Interest in ethanol as a transportation fuel was revived when embargoes by major oil producing countries cut gasoline supplies. Since that time ethanol use has been encouraged by offering tax benefits for producing ethanol and for blending ethanol into gasoline.

1975 – Brazil formed the Pro-Álcool Program (Programa Nacional do Álcool, or National Alcohol Program) to reduce foreign oil dependence. This program used government financing to move toward ethanol use in lieu of fossil fuels. Brazil began making ethanol from sugar cane.

1980s – After investing heavily in renewable fuels in the 1970s, Brazil kept the program alive during the 1980s. With its robust ethanol program, Brazil developed an extensive ethanol industry. By the mid-1980s, ethanol-only cars accounted for almost 90 percent of all new-auto sales in Brazil, making the country the biggest alternative fuel market in the world.

1984 – Burlington Electric in Vermont builds a 50-megawatt wood-fired plant to produce electricity.

1988 – Ethanol began to be added to gasoline for the purpose of reducing carbon monoxide emissions.

1989 – Canada and the United States conduct pilot trials of direct wood-fired gas turbine plants.

1990 – Biomass’s electricity generation reaches 6 gigawatts.

2000 – Brazil deregulated the ethanol market and removed its subsidies. However, depending on market conditions, all fuels are required to be blended with 20-25% ethanol.

2003 – Since 2003, ethanol has grown rapidly as the oxygenating factor for gasoline in the US. Flex-fuel vehicles were introduced. These vehicles can run on straight ethanol, straight gasoline or a blend of the two. Today, the majority of new cars sold in Brazil are flex-fuel.