Biofuel: Glossary

biodiesel: a biofuel made from vegetable oils, fats, or greases.

biofuel: fuel produced from biomass.

biomass: organic material made from plants and animals.

cellulose: the principal component of the cell walls of plants, composed of long chains of sugar molecules.

chemical energy: energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds

dry-mill process: a process in which a feedstock is ground and then treated with enzymes, heat, and yeast to produce ethanol.

ethanol: a clear, colorless fuel, with the chemical formula H3CH2OH, made from the sugars found in plants.

feedstock: the raw material that is used to produce biofuels.

flexible fuel vehicle: vehicle capable of running on gasoline and high-ethanol blends interchangeably.

glucose: a simple sugar occurring widely in most plant and animal tissue.

photosynthesis: the conversion by plants of radiant energy from the Sun into chemical energy in the form of glucose.

thermal (heat) energy: the energy of motion in atoms and molecules.

wet-mill process: a process in which a feedstock is soaked in water to separate the starch, which is then treated with enzymes, heat, and yeast to produce ethanol.