Roundtable discussion: Group 1 Summary

The roundtable discussion's topic is the adoption potential of biodiesel to replace fossil fuel for use in transportation. Fossil fuel is a non-renewable source of energy which is known for its adverse effects on our environment and health. Biodiesel on the other hand is a new alternative which is believed to have less impact on the environment and our health.

Wenqin and Hazel are in support of the adoption of biodiesel for transportation. According to them, the current diesel engineers can run on biodiesel with little or no modifications at all. In terms of environmental impact, biodiesel contributes significantly less when compared to fossil fuel by emitting much lesser harmful elements such as carbon monoxide and sulfur compounds, which are known as the cause of ozone depletion and acid rain.

In addition, they also mentioned that the lower emission of hydrocarbon and particles from biodiesel are better for human health as they are identified as the potential cause of cancer and breathing problems. It is a renewable and biodegradable source of energy which can be produced from crop and organic waste. They also respond that certain countries have policy on what type of crops are to be grown on a specific piece of land in order to prevent farmers from growing only crops for biodiesel production.

George on the other end raised the issue of biodiesel causing clogs in the filters of engines due to their solvent properties, and also their lower output performance. The lower output performance would mean lower fuel efficiency, which in turns will cost more to the consumers. Biodiesel is also not suitable for use in cold condition as it gels quicker than diesel fuel in cold weather.

Furthermore, George also raised the problem of rising food prices which might get worse if biodiesel is to be mass produced as biodiesel can made out of food crops such as soybean, palm oil and rapeseed. Adoption of biodiesel might also encourage farmers to grow crops for biodiesel instead of food which will eventually lead to shortages of food supply. He also reveals the fact that deforestation is already occurring now due to the demand of crops for biodiesel production and it will only get worse if the adoption occurs.

In general, biodiesel faces many restrictions if it is to replace fossil fuel to power our vehicles. However, many of the problems can be minimized by advancement of technology and suitable regulations. It could be the next generation of fuel for our vehicles and we could focus our research in it to exploit its full potential.