marklynas.orgBiofuels - the greatest threat after climate change? 20 June 06
Thanks to everyone who’s posted on biofuels over the last few days – worrying about energy and biodiversity makes a nice change from the World Cup, I find. (Come on England!)
I do want to give a special mention to the new website Biofuelwatch – the information it contains about the threat to rainforests from palm oil is truly terrifying. It should be required reading for all biofuels enthusiasts, particularly the experts at the Worldwatch Institute, whose recent report trumpets the advantages of biofuels whilst – in my opinion – rather downplaying the disadvantages. The report has the amazing assertion that more than a third of both European and US transport fuels could be produced by biofuels within 25 years.
I also want to mention an upcoming workshop, organised by the Panos Institute (London venue still to be confirmed) investigating the links between biotechnology and climate change. It seems that the genetics corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta are now seeking to recast GM as the solution to climate change, through biofuels and genetically-engineered trees and drought-tolerant crops. Email Rod.harbinson@panos.org.uk for more details on that one – the date is 4 July.
Comments
Lynn Vincentnathan
June 20th, 2006 at 03:12 PM
I find several problems:
1. Some biofuels may actually require more energy to produce than they provide—we have to keep in mind all agri inputs, including water & energy to pump water, manufacture of farm equipment, bauxite (causing rainforests to be destroyed) to make aluminum to make farm equipment, ships to ship the bauxite, ag schools, all the paperwork, more trees, etc, etc.
2. When people are starving in the world, it seems disgusting to grow crops to go on coast-to-coast vacations in one’s Hummer.
3. And the destruction of rainforests for palm oil, etc.
Some positive approaches:
1. I know of some villages in India where they take animal & human manure & convert it into cooking gas (off-setting wood & kerosine-burning stoves), and the remaining slurry is actually better fertilizer than straight up manure.
2. Agri waste products (esp those that would be burned) can be used for biofuel. How about all those corn and rice husks, etc.
3. What about electric cars? I understand there are lithium ion batteries now that give a 300 mile range & recharge 80% in 15 minutes. Or plug-in hybrids. Alt energy, such as wind, hydro, or solar can be used to recharge them. And even if fossil fuels are used to generate the electricity, EVs are about 1/3 more efficient than regular cars, and the pollution can be better controlled at the single source point.
I don’t understand why we have to choose only one alt fuel power vehicle. Why can’t we also have EVs? In fact, let’s just skip the biofuels idea (except for manure & ag waste), and go for EVs?
June 21st, 2006 at 05:42 AM
This may help a little!
The idea of using waste power plant heat to increase biofuel yields can offset the energy used to create the fuel.
We have an abundant energy resource in wasted energy from centralized power. This may be a good way to use it I think.
Best,
Dan