Advantages of vegetable oil
- renewable raw material, pure natural product
- CO² neutral
- no sulphur emissions, no acid rain
- carbon emissions cut in half, with a catalyser all but zero
- super fuel : heat value only 4 % lower than diesel
- can be produced worldwide
- future for local farming , no fallow areas
- only slight energy deployment in production process
- no long routes of transport
- surplus of oxygen ( with rapeseed )
- non poisonous, also does not produce gases, risk to water supply is 0
- fire-proof ( flash point 300 degrees C )
- bio-degradable
No competition for food production
There is no fear for food production as for example energy crops are either grown mixed or as a preceding crop. Furthermore there are plenty of timber and biomass residues available. By using energy crops in very dry countries even areas which are normally too dry for growing food can be used and new areas are thus gained.
New perspectives for farming and plant construction
In this way there are new possibilities outside the food markets. The production of large amounts of biogenous fuel is an alternative to the accumulation of butter and grain mountains. Furthermore, as a result more doors will be opened for export for German firms that produce machines and power plants.
Advantages for the environment
There are also gains for the environment. Products obtained from plants or raw materials which - when burned or composted - only give off the amount of CO² which they extracted from the atmosphere during growth. In contrast to fossil fuel raw materials they are largely CO² neutral. The material and energy cycle is thus virtually complete.
Ecology
Biogenous fuels are a big chance for climate protection. Their energy balance is positive even if plants have to be grown especially. With energy crops the variety of the fields widens and this offers new perspectives like e.g. the joint growing of different plants (crops). As a result weed control is superfluous. As energy crops do not have to mature we can do away with weed control. In addition large amounts of biomass can be acquired in conservation areas ( e.g. fens ) whereby the character of such areas can be preserved. Through using the surplus biomasses conservation gains an ecological basis.
