This dissertation sets its goal in application of the water footprint indicator, which is a practical and multi-layered indicator of water sources consumption. Of human activities, agriculture presents the most significant demands on water sources consumption. Therefore I have turned my focus to the widely-discussed issue of biofuels production, because the input materials for production of this kind of energy are agricultural crops (in the Czech republic those are: oilseed rape, sugar beet, Indian corn and winter wheat). The calculated results of water footprints of the selected industrial crops (m3 /t) and of water footprints of the heating value units of that crops (m3 /GJ) offer us a concrete notion of energy requirements of water of that chosen industrial crops in the conditions of the Czech republic. Keywords: water footprint indicator, biofuels, oilseed rape, water consumption, biodiesel, bioethanol, evapotranspiration.

This thesis deals with the economic and environmental problems of biofuels in the Czech Republic and abroad. The goal is retrieval and analysis of economic studies that address economic and environmental impacts associated with the introduction of biofuels policy. Individual economic studies on the environment that are at work that are evaluated by using biofuels policy of macroeconomic and microeconomic models. Results of studies show that the introduction of biofuels policy creates economic and environmental impacts such as deforestation, environment, prices, employment and competitiveness of farmers.

The aim of this thesis is to elaborate recommendations for manufacturers and consumers.

In this work is processed a survey of perspective alternative drives in motor vehicles. There are main characteristic for each mentioned drive, their advantages and disadvantages and problems associated with their use in vehicles. The work is aimed at gas engines, electro mobiles, hybrid drives and hydrogen, therefore the most likely drives the future.

This thesis is concerned with combustion of liquid biofuels, and possibility of using liquid biofuels for lower heat output power units. Overview of basic usable liquid biofuels in Czech Republic is executed in the beginning of the thesis. This part is focused especially on production method and energy effectivity of rape-oil methyl ester (RME) and bioethanol production. Overview of basic atomization method of liquid fuels is executed in next chapters. The focus is stressed on pneumatic atomization, especially effervescent atomization method, which was used in practical experiment. Practical part contains fossil fuel and selected biofuel (RME) combustion test executed on burner testing device. Basic combustion properties was found and test plan was made before executing the test. Various operating conditions are compared in terms of atomization quality, combustion quality and geometrical characteristics of flame. Usability of tested liquid biofuels for lower heat output power units is evaluated in the conclusion.

The thesis discusses the use of biomass for electricity island operation. The first chapter explains the concept of biomass and its distribution. It also shows the potential and availability of biomass. The second chapter describes the transformation of biomass into a suitable fuel form. The third to fifth chapter describes the conversion of biomass as a fuel into electrical energy through combustion, Stirling and steam engine. In these chapters there are brought the following parameters and prices of these motors and single-phase and three-phase alternators that can be connected to these engines. Other chapters describe the production of electricity in line with consumption, where the cost per hour to run engines for the various types of fuel and price of the electricity produced in kilowatt hours is calculated. In the last chapter of the thesis there is described the possibility of accumulation of electrical energy.