biofuel

[ bahy-oh-fyoo-uhl ]

/ ˈbaɪ oʊˌfyu əl /

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noun

fuel, as wood or ethanol, derived from biomass.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of biofuel

First recorded in 1970–75; bio- + fuel

Words nearby biofuel

biofilm, bioflavonoid, biofog, biofortification, biofouling, biofuel, biog, biogas, biogasification, biogen, biogenesis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use biofuel in a sentence

While plenty of technology exists to extract and sequester CO2, ranging from biofuels to direct air capture, none have been scaled up commercially.
Elon Musk just bought $100 million in publicity for the carbon capture industry|Michael J. Coren|January 26, 2021|Quartz
In the longer term, predicting protein structure will also help design synthetic proteins, such as enzymes that digest waste or produce biofuels.
DeepMind’s protein-folding AI has solved a 50-year-old grand challenge of biology|Will Heaven|November 30, 2020|MIT Technology Review
While the first boom was primarily about cleaning up the power sector and early efforts to address transportation—and was particularly concentrated on thin-film solar, electric cars, and advanced biofuels—venture capital is now ranging more widely.
How VCs can avoid another bloodbath as the clean-tech boom 2.0 begins|James Temple|November 30, 2020|MIT Technology Review
For example, one trial was using ART to optimize carbon-neutral biofuel production with living cells.
How Machine Learning Made Hops-Free Hoppy Beer (and Other SynBio Wonders) Possible|Shelly Fan|October 6, 2020|Singularity Hub

For example, ART can predict how to increase the production of wanted biochemicals—drugs, biofuels—or squash unwanted chemicals such as biotoxins.
How Machine Learning Made Hops-Free Hoppy Beer (and Other SynBio Wonders) Possible|Shelly Fan|October 6, 2020|Singularity Hub
This is a lot of biofuel, which is why somebody, in an effort to get rid of the stuff, has been watering our gasoline.
The Federal Government Has Violated My Right to Chainsaw|P. J. O’Rourke|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Biofuel” can be made out of anything that will ferment or rot, including digestive system waste products.
The Federal Government Has Violated My Right to Chainsaw|P. J. O’Rourke|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But this year the old butter went for biofuel testing, and BuMann got a new batch.
Butter Sculptor Sharon BuMann on Her Art, ‘Butter’ Movie & More|Malcolm Jones|September 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for biofuel

biofuel

/ (ˈbaɪəʊˌfjʊəl) /

noun

a gaseous, liquid, or solid substance of biological origin that is used as a fuel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for biofuel

biofuel

[ bī′ō-fyōō′əl ]

Fuel produced from renewable resources, especially plant biomass, vegetable oils, and treated municipal and industrial wastes. Biofuels are considered neutral with respect to the emission of carbon dioxide because the carbon dioxide given off by burning them is balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants that are grown to produce them. The use of biofuels as an additive to petroleum-based fuels can also result in cleaner burning with less emission of carbon monoxide and particulates.♦ Ethanol produced by fermenting the sugars in biomass materials such as corn and agricultural residues is known as bioethanol. Bioethanol is used in internal-combustion engines either in pure form or more often as a gasoline additive.♦ Biodiesel is made by processing vegetable oils and other fats and is also used either in pure form or as an additive to petroleum-based diesel fuel.♦ Biogas is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter such as sewage and municipal wastes by bacteria. It is used especially in the generation of hot water and electricity.