Biofuels and the Law of Unintended Consequences
Up until now most of the debate about biofuels has centered on the inefficiencies of corn-based ethanol vs. the promise of biobutanol and cellulosic ethanol. As reported in the New York Times, however, two recent studies indicate that biofuel production in and of itself is more harmful to the environment than conventional fossil fuels:
“Almost all biofuels used today cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the full emissions costs of producing these ‘green’ fuels are taken into account, two studies being published Thursday have concluded.
“These studies for the first time take a detailed, comprehensive look at the emissions effects of the huge amount of natural land that is being converted to cropland globally to support biofuels development.
“The destruction of natural ecosystems — whether rain forest in the tropics or grasslands in South America — not only releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when they are burned and plowed, but also deprives the planet of natural sponges to absorb carbon emissions. Cropland also absorbs far less carbon than the rain forests or even scrubland that it replaces.
“Together the two studies offer sweeping conclusions: It does not matter if it is rain forest or scrubland that is cleared, the greenhouse gas contribution is significant. More important, they discovered that, taken globally, the production of almost all biofuels resulted, directly or indirectly, intentionally or not, in new lands being cleared, either for food or fuel.”
You can read the full article here. This is by no means a justification of continuing our dependence on oil. But in the rush to develop alternatives it is good to remember that sometimes technology bites back, and that the most direct and immediate solution may not, in the long run, prove the most appropriate choice.