Page 1 FKK, UiTMBB 2017

Prepared Miss Norul Malakiah Sidek

CHE 323 Tutorial

Question 1

Biodiesel, can be made from plant oils as an alternative to fossil fuel diesel. Biodiesel can be burned in
normal diesel engines.

Figure 1 outlines the process.

Figure 1 The production of biodiesel from rapeseed

(a) (i) Where does the energy for plant growth come from?

.......................................................................................................................................................

(1 mark)

(ii) What has happened to all this energy after stage D?

.........................................................................................................................................................

(1 mark)
(iii) Explain why biodiesel is a renewable fuel.

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

(2 marks)

Page 1 FKK, UiTMBB 2017

Prepared Miss Norul Malakiah Sidek
CHE 323 Tutorial

(b) Biodiesel releases carbon dioxide when it burns but this does not result in an overall increase in the
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

(i) At which of the stages shown in Figure 1 is carbon dioxide removed from the air?

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................
(1 mark)

(ii) What happens to the carbon in the carbon dioxide when the gas is removed from the air at this
stage.

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................
(1 mark)

(c) Transport in Britain released 21% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2007. In order to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions the UK Government has set a target of 10% of transport energy to come
from sustainably produced renewables by 2020. Biofuels, including biodiesel, are expected to
provide a significant part of this 10%.

However reliance on biofuels is controversial for the following reasons.

Some carbon dioxide is still released because energy is used during the production (cultivation,
harvesting, processing) and distribution of biofuels.
Large areas of land may need to be taken out of food production to grow the crops. It is estimated
that all such land in the UK would only meet about 10% of our total diesel needs.
The change in land use, such as natural forest to palm plantation, may release large amounts of
carbon dioxide.

Figure 2 Life Cycle Assessment of the carbon dioxide released during the cultivation, processing and
distribution of plant derived biodiesel as well as the annual emissions from any change of land use,
assuming these are spread over 20 years.

crop country grams carbon dioxide equivalent

released/ MJ biodiesel produced
emissions due to change of land use emissions from
existing crop grassland forest cultivation,
land processing and
distribution
oilseed UK 0 154 583 79
rape
soy Brazil 0 683 2 466 71
soy USA 0 122 1 127 53
palm Indonesia 0 127 224 41
palm Malaysia 0 57 176 41
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/rtfo/govrecrfa.pdf

Page 2 FKK, UiTMBB 2017

Prepared Miss Norul Malakiah Sidek
CHE 323 Tutorial

(i) In Britain all diesel, now must include 3.3% biodiesel. As Figure 2 shows there is a wide choice of
sources.

If reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was the sole criterion, which source of biodiesel would you
expect an oil company to choose? Explain your answer with reference to the data in Figure 2.

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

(3 marks)

(ii) Suggest two other criteria, apart from cost, that you think should also be considered in choosing a
source of biodiesel. Explain the significance of each of the two criteria.

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

(4 marks)

Page 3 FKK, UiTMBB 2017

Prepared Miss Norul Malakiah Sidek
CHE 323 Tutorial

(d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the use of biofuel as a way of reducing Britains
greenhouse gas emissions from transport. Compare the use of biofuel to at least one other way of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Quality of written communication will be taken into account in awarding marks.

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................

(6 marks)

Total 19 marks

Page 4 FKK, UiTMBB 2017

Prepared Miss Norul Malakiah Sidek