5.5 Biofuels

• A biofuel is derived from a recently living organism or its metabolic by-product.

• Alcohol-based ethanol can be obtained from sugar/sugar cane, starch, grain, etc.

• Biodiesel is obtained from vegetable oils, such as soya beans and oilseed.

• Gasohol is the result of mixing petrol with an alcohol fuel, typically ethanol.

• An “E” number indicates the percentage of ethanol in the mix. Some cars in South American countries run on 100% ethanol (E100).