I am currently working on a project for my school that has to do with the positive and negative side to biofuels. It really is the most interesting topic I've had to researched in quite a while. There are so many different opinions on the subject, that a person could easily debate with their self for hours over whether it is a good or bad solution.
The reality to the story is that our planet is in a downward spiral commonly known as global warming. Everyday, the temperatures in the water and the atmosphere rise to record highs. Ice caps and glaciers melt away inche by inche, destroying habitats and coast lines around the world. Scientists predict that if the trend continues, major cities will be under water in an astonishing amount of time. Global warming is a real problem. Thankfully, it has real solutions.
Biofuels are fuels created from living plants like corn or sugar cane. Their are two main types of biofuel: ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is produced by taking the sugars from the plant and fermenting them. So basically, ethanol is a form of alcohol. Biodiesel is similar, but it comes from left of vegetable oil or grease. The oil or grease can be separeted into two parts: the actual biodiesel and glycerin which is commonly found in soap. Everything that is involved the biodiesel making process can be used at some point. It truly is one of the most efficient ways to make fuel.
At this point in time, biofuels are not being used near enough to have an impact. This is mostly because there are not enough cars that are able to use the most efficient form of ethanol: E85 (85% ethanol, 15% petroleum). This doesn't create much of a demand for the fuel. Likewise, there aren't many stations that offer biofuel.
If the United States were to transfer its dependence on gasoline to biofuels, it would mean that the U.S. would finally have homegrown fuel source. The U.S. is already the top country in the world in corn production. Amazingly only around 15% of that is being used to make environmentally friendly fuels.
The U.S. spends so much money on foreign oil. Most of that oil comes from unstable and/or war consumed countries. Is that really who we should be giving our money to? Biofuels would definatly help the United States to cut down on its trade deficit and give the country a more secure fuel supply.
Biofuels would also help cut down carbon emissions. Nearly everything that people do these days has a horrible carbon emissions consiquence. It would be so much better to a fuel flexible car than to drive a [insert large number] ton truck that guzzles gallons upon gallons of gas per mile.
There is no doubt that biofuels could help the economic and environmental struggles that the U.S. faces. There are some that say biofuels are not good at all though.
They disagree with biofuels for one main reason: food vs. fuel. They wonder if farmers will continue to grow corn for food rather than growing it for a higher profit for fuel. Food prices have already started to rise in response to an increase in biofuel production. Will it continue to increase? Many think the answer yes.
Another disturbing reason for the shunning of biofuels is deforestation. This is undoubtably a major issue. In Brazil, the highest ethanol producing country in the world, thousands of acres are being cleared in order to make room for crops like corn and sugar cane. The people have learned that a large crop for fuel will make a large profit. They have no cares for the ecosystems they may be destroying. Not only do animals in Brazil have to deal with the increasing temperatures that come with global warming, but now they must live their life on smaller and often times less fruitful acres of land.
Etheopia though has learned to use biofuel crops for good. With their poor economy, biofuel production may be benefitial.
Needless to say, biofuels brings a dinamic situation to the table that can only be considered on a case by case basis. While this envirnmentally friendly fuel may seem like a quick fix, it is only one part of a large and cooperative solution to the overall problem.
To produce bio-fuel, there needs to be a lot of farmland. To create farmland, forests are being destroyed, as you mentioned. Forests convert far more CO2 than a field. Take, for example, the Amazon Rainforest, which is being cut down at an alarming rate. The Amazon Rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen. That's a lot!! A bunch of corn fields/sugar cane/whatever else used to produce bio-fuel isn't going to replace that.
The point of bio-fuel is to lower our need for oil, and to reduce emissions. Sure, we might reduce emissions produced by vehicles. However, we will be preventing a great deal of CO2 conversion that would normally be taking place in our forests.
For this and a couple other reasons, I'm not joining the bio-fuel bandwagon. A far better alternative is solar and wind power to produce electricity for electric vehicles. We wouldn't have to ruin forests to harness the unlimited power of the sun and wind. Electric vehicles are zero-emissions. I'm sold.
You probably have already found some articles that mention this, but in many poor countries in South America, corn-based food products, such as tortillas, which are a staple for poor people in many places, has risen by 200% in the past few years! This is because most corn is being exported for the US to be used as biofuels...this is causing "food riots" and starvation among the poorest of the poor.
So which is better...killing Iraqis for oil or killing Brazilians for biofuels?...well neither in my book. We need to find a different source of fuel altogether...(and as the poster above said, electricity may be the answer, if it comes from renewable sources, that is.)
Read my post about electricity titled "Dams..."
Love ya,
Carrot