What does biofuel mean?
Biofuel is any fuel produced from organic matter of recent origin — living or once-living material such as crops, crop residues, vegetable oils, or animal waste — as opposed to fossil fuels formed underground over millions of years. Common examples include ethanol, typically distilled from corn or sugarcane and blended with gasoline, and biodiesel, processed from vegetable oils or animal fats for use in diesel engines. The word appears most often in environmental science, agriculture, energy policy, and news reporting about climate change. Its connotations are largely positive, since biofuels are renewable and can reduce net carbon emissions, though debate exists over whether growing fuel crops competes with food production or drives deforestation. Engineers and policymakers also distinguish first-generation biofuels, made from food crops, from advanced second-generation types made from non-food biomass such as wood waste and algae.
nounA fuel, such as ethanol or biodiesel, that is produced from organic matter — plants, plant-derived materials, or animal waste — rather than from fossil sources.
- A liquid or gaseous fuel derived from recent organic matter, such as ethanol made from corn or sugarcane, or biodiesel made from vegetable oils and animal fats.
"The airline has begun blending biofuel into its jet fuel to reduce carbon emissions."
"Brazil's transport sector relies heavily on biofuel made from sugarcane."
"Critics warn that diverting farmland to grow biofuel crops can drive up food prices."
The plural is standard and common, particularly in discussions comparing different types of fuel derived from organic matter.
"Researchers are developing new biofuels from algae and agricultural waste."
The first cars ran on biofuels: Henry Ford designed his 1908 Model T to run on ethanol, a century before 'green energy' became a buzzword.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of biofuel
Biofuel is a modern compound combining the combining form 'bio-', from Greek 'bios' meaning life, with 'fuel', an English word of Old French origin ultimately tracing to Latin 'focus', meaning hearth or fire. The compound emerged in the twentieth century alongside growing interest in alternative energy sources, becoming widespread from the late 1970s onward during the oil crises. It belongs to the large family of twentieth-century coinages using 'bio-' to denote biological origin, such as biodegradable and biomass.
How biofuel is actually used
Biofuel is typically used in technical, environmental-policy, and news contexts rather than casual conversation. It often appears in discussions of renewable energy, where it carries generally positive connotations, though it can also appear critically when discussing land use or food-versus-fuel debates.
Easily confused with biofuel
Fossil fuels like coal and oil are extracted from ancient buried organic matter over millions of years, whereas biofuels are made from recently grown or produced organic material.