Downsides to Biofuel Vehicles

We've all heard about environment concerns such as global warming, our need to reduce our dependence on non-renewal fuel sources, particularly foreign oil, and the overall need to be "green." Even car manufacturers are getting in on the act, working on a variety of more energy-efficient and lower polluting cars such as the hybrids you see on the road more and more.

There are certainly upsides to biofuel vehicles. For example, since so many biofuels are derived from plants, they are close to being carbon neutral since the next crop raised for biofuels will use the carbon dioxide released from using the previous biofuels crop.

They also don't produce anywhere near as many particulates or carbon dioxide. Nor do they give off sulfur emissions, which are responsible for acid rain.

Plus they can be grown locally, so we can't be held hostage to foreign oil producers like we are now. Nor do we have to compete with other countries for limited resources, giving us control over our own fuels as well as keeping those dollars in our own economy.

But biofuels aren't the magic answer some have been touting and, indeed, there are some real downsides to biofuels, as we're sadly discovering nowadays what with skyrocketing food prices that can't just be blamed on the price of gas.

Currently US government subsidies are provided for ethanol, but they are for corn ethanol. However, unlike Brazil who has effectively produced ethanol on the basis of sugar cane waste for the past 20 years, the United States actually uses the corn itself, not the stocks and leaves. This has multiple negative effects.

In the first place, corn production, whether for food or biofuels production, requires a great deal of energy that releases more greenhouse gases than they actually save. Corn production also requires a great deal of water. Plus, the more demand for corn, the higher the price of corn. This isn't just for the corn we eat as canned corn, corn on the cob or corn flakes. Corn is also a major grain food used by animals, such as chickens, cattle, cows and the like. That's why the price of eggs, milks and hamburger has gone up so much recently.

Other current food sources used for biofuels, such as rapeseed and palm oil, have the same downsides since they, too, are used as foodstuffs, such as vegetable oil. Not only that, but many countries are deforesting great areas in order to provide more land to growl biofuels crops. And deforestation wreaks havoc on the environment. Talk about a downside!

There are many other plant materials that can be used for ethanol production, including switch grass and even algae. Waste products, such as wood chips, straw and pulp could accomplish the same thing Brazil has done...use what's left over after food production, not replace food production with fuel. After all, we can't eat biofuels.

Take Care,
Steven Longoria

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