Smart Choices for Biofuels

Details

• Creators:
  Earley, Jane ; McKeown, Alice
• Corporate Contributors:
  Worldwatch Institute ; Sierra Club
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Benefit Cost Analysis Biomass Fuels Climate Change Costs Ethanol Fuel Composition Fuel Conservation
• Resource Type:
  Research Paper
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  Worldwatch Institute
• Abstract:
  Much of the strong support for biofuels in the United States is premised on the national security advantages of reducing dependence on imported oil. In late 2007, these expected payoffs played a major role in driving an extension and expansion of the national Renewable Fuels Standard in the U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act, which calls for the use of 36 billion gallons of biofuels nationwide by 2022. Worldwide, efforts to replace oil with biofuels are at a critical juncture. Double-digit growth in ethanol and biodiesel use during the past three years has contributed to a rapid increase in food, feed grain, and soybean prices, as well as a sharp environmental backlash. Evidence is building that the biofuels industry is creating a host of ecological problems while failing to deliver real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Demand for biofuels is also creating global pressure for carbon-emitting deforestation and land conversion, as food and fuel compete for scarce resources.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  Transportation Resilience and Vulnerability Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:ec4a3dd5c49425c9167a71a31b687305d5f09d42a7990a503db7d9007c5968a9
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/17276/dot_17276_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 948.74 KB ]