biofuel

[ bahy-oh-fyoo-uhl ]

noun

1. fuel, as wood or ethanol, derived from biomass.

biofuel

/ ˈbaɪəʊˌfjʊəl /

noun

1. a gaseous, liquid, or solid substance of biological origin that is used as a fuel

biofuel

/ bī′ō-fyo̅o̅′əl /

1. Fuel produced from renewable resources, especially plant biomass, vegetable oils, and treated municipal and industrial wastes. Biofuels are considered neutral with respect to the emission of carbon dioxide because the carbon dioxide given off by burning them is balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants that are grown to produce them. The use of biofuels as an additive to petroleum-based fuels can also result in cleaner burning with less emission of carbon monoxide and particulates.
2. ◆ Ethanol produced by fermenting the sugars in biomass materials such as corn and agricultural residues is known as bioethanol . Bioethanol is used in internal-combustion engines either in pure form or more often as a gasoline additive.
3. ◆ Biodiesel is made by processing vegetable oils and other fats and is also used either in pure form or as an additive to petroleum-based diesel fuel.
4. ◆ Biogas is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter such as sewage and municipal wastes by bacteria. It is used especially in the generation of hot water and electricity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of biofuel¹

First recorded in 1970–75; bio- + fuel

Example Sentences

While plenty of technology exists to extract and sequester CO2, ranging from biofuels to direct air capture, none have been scaled up commercially.

From Quartz

In the longer term, predicting protein structure will also help design synthetic proteins, such as enzymes that digest waste or produce biofuels.

From MIT Technology Review

While the first boom was primarily about cleaning up the power sector and early efforts to address transportation—and was particularly concentrated on thin-film solar, electric cars, and advanced biofuels—venture capital is now ranging more widely.

From MIT Technology Review

For example, one trial was using ART to optimize carbon-neutral biofuel production with living cells.

From Singularity Hub 

For example, ART can predict how to increase the production of wanted biochemicals—drugs, biofuels—or squash unwanted chemicals such as biotoxins.

From Singularity Hub 

This is a lot of biofuel, which is why somebody, in an effort to get rid of the stuff, has been watering our gasoline.

From The Daily Beast

“Biofuel” can be made out of anything that will ferment or rot, including digestive system waste products.

From The Daily Beast

But this year the old butter went for biofuel testing, and BuMann got a new batch.

From The Daily Beast