A term getting a lot of airtime these days is "biofuel". While it gives the notion of being an environmentally friendly solution, there are some misconceptions associated with this form of energy. Understanding biofuel properly requires dealing with facts and myths. Some of them of course are brought on by marketers who are sensing a shift in public perception and are getting ready to position themselves and their companies to gain.

Biofuels are essentially a form of solar energy. Like all plants, algae uses photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy stored in the form of oils, carbohydrates and proteins.

Biofuel is a renewable energy, but there is some controversy that it is not sustainable due to the harvesting of biomass and the byproducts produced during the burning of biofuels.

In its most basic form, a biofuel is a naturally occurring source that relies on dead plant matter. Fossil fuel, on the other hand, also relies on dead matter. But, this kind of matter has had to have been dead for a very long time to permit a host of chemical processes to take place, readying it for use as energy producing fuel.

The unfortunate misconception that biofuels are going to be the answer to the current energy crisis is propagated by those who are blinded by the term "bio". Considering any kind of plant material may become biofuel, it naturally follows that such plants must be grown, tended, harvested, and then converted to energy. This raises ecological problems as well as questions with respect to a secure food supply.

Deforestation, soil erosion, water wasting, food shortages and a host of other problems are estimated to occur if there was a serious shift from fossil fuels to biofuels. While understanding biofuels does not make the debate any easier, it does help to clear up some misconceptions and therefore adequately weigh all options currently open and also opening up in the future.