The latest scientific data confirmed that the Earth's climate is rapidly changing. It has been widely accepted worldwide that global warming is by far the greatest threat and challenge in the new millennium.

Click for Enlarge

Source: SEED Magazine Cribsheet #2

The main reason causing global warming is the combustion of fossil fuels which increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere.

The carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases allow solar energy entering the Earth's atmosphere, but reduce the amount of energy that can re-radiate back into space, trapping energy and causing global warming.

In order to reduce the emission of these greenhouse gases and to promote sustainable development, renewable energy such as biofuel is the perfect solution to achieve both targets.

A key environmental benefit of using biofuel as an additive to petroleum-based transportation fuels is the reduction in these harmful emissions.

Biofuel such as bioethanol is used as fuel oxygenates to improve combustion characteristics, and extra oxygen atoms results in more complete combustion. This effect will reduce the content of carbon monoxide emissions.



Besides, latest report has shown that the world can no longer turn away from renewable energy such as biofuel as the fossil fuel reserves would only last for the next 30 to 40 years.

On the other hand, presently 11.8 million hectares of land in Malaysia and Indonesia are occupied with oil palm plantation generating huge quantities of waste that could be converted into biofuel. In this context, waste from the oil palm industries appears to be a very promising alternative as a source of raw materials to produce bioethanol.