Biofuels Making The Climate Issue Worse

1 Oct, 2007 4 Comments

Now that car insurance and tyre companies have become obsessed with the environmentally-friendly image, it is blatantly obvious that major corporations are all determined to use the benefits of a greener image for marketing purposes.

Similar to the hypocrisy of fast food giants offering a healthy-choice menu, the fuel companies are also pushing for a greener, more environmentally friendly image with biofuels.

Although some initial research had suggested biofuels could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40 per cent, so far benefits from using biofuels are not what they are reported to be, and a new independent study has turned up the heat claiming biofuels are actually worse for the environment than standard fuel.

Nobel prize-winning chemist Paul Crutzen led a team of researchers that concluded the growing and burning of many biofuels may actually raise rather than lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The researchers found that growing the more popular types of biofuel crops releases around twice the amount of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) than previously reported while most likely contributing to global warming.

Unfortunately for biofuel backers, this means there is no reason to abandon the traditional fossil fuel.

The significance of it is that the supposed benefits of biofuel are even more disputable than had been thought hitherto. What we are saying is that [growing many biofuels] is probably of no benefit and in fact is actually making the climate issue worse.’ Keith Smith, a co-author on the paper from the University of Edinburgh, said.

Rapeseed biodiesel cause 1-1.7 times the N20 emissions compared to fossil C02 emissions, corn bioethanol is 0.9 to 1.5 times while cane sugar bioethanol which is mostly produced in Brazil is the only beneficial type with a relative warming of 0.5 to 0.9.

Source: Chemistry World

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4 Responses to “Biofuels Making The Climate Issue Worse”

woz Says:
October 1st, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Fish and Chips cooked in magic fat (rapeseed) vegetable oil aren’t healthy for people and now no good for our greenhouse, no wonder I don’t eat greasy $hit any more, apparantly burning regular cooking oil is fairly toxic, refining may help the process a little but you wonder why they thought this was enviromentaly safe in the first place.
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Mark Ben Muller Says:
October 1st, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I used Bio Diesel in my car provided by a company based in Perth called Bio Works. Due to the poor quality of the fuel, my car engined seized and i have had to have a complete rebuild. I drive an Audi Q7. Upon presenting this issue to the manufacturer i was informed that they do not recommend the use of Bio Fuels in their vehicles as there are no regulations on the quality that these ‘cowboy’ produces put in your tank.
I then approached Bio Works who washed their hands of the issue and said they cannot be held responsible as there is no proof that the fuel put in the car was from them. It was the one and only time i used bio fuel in my car.
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Terry Says:
October 2nd, 2007 at 12:15 pm
“Unfortunately for biofuel backers, this means there is no reason to abandon the traditional fossil fuel.”

Classic line. Will have to remember that one for when fossil fuels run out.
Then again, that could also be lies propagated by those pesky environmentalists…
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Peps Says:
September 16th, 2008 at 3:13 am
The difference between fossil fuel and “biofuels” resides in the fact that the first takes underground minerals and throws it in the atmosphere where it adds to the amound of gas already present. The biofuel does go up in the air as well but the carbon dioxide it forms comes from the air in the first place (photosynthesis), not modifying the balance.
In other words fossil fuel=bad, bio fuel = ok. That’s what the increase in glasshouse effect is all about. All the rubbish about farting cows is smog to hide the point.
The real question is : ‘how is your car coping with it?’ Hopefully the manufacturers are going to produce better and better motors according to the need/demand for non-fossil fuels…
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