Biofuel an alternate energy option in some cases, not all

As the gas prices continue to creep towards the $2/litre mark in our region, the talk of becoming less oil-dependent grows.

As the gas prices continue to creep towards the $2/litre mark in our region, the talk of becoming less oil-dependent grows.

One of those alternative renewable sources is Biofuel.

“It is living stuff, for example, the trees, the grass, the algae, the food waste come from biomass, from the crop crops or from residue,” says Western University Chemical Engineering professor Charles Xu.

The price difference between biofuel and petroleum-based fuel is still quite high. Meaning a switch isn’t feasible for passenger vehicles, but one of the biggest impacts you could see is in home heating.

“Enbridge has they have a voluntary renewable natural gas program,” says Brandon Moffatt, vice president of development at Stormfisher, an American company that has a Biofuel production facility in London.

“You as the homeowner can opt in to be using some of our gas as a part of your supply. And so it's a new program that just released and this fuel here in Ontario and specifically in London, is being used in that program.”

Moffatt says Stormfisher is seeing a growing number of companies and municipalities taking a look at the circular economy.