The Problem With Biofuels

Skyrocketing Food Prices Have Caused Some To Rethink The Wisdom Of Using Crops For Fuel

(CBS)  It seemed like a good idea at the time. Use corn and other crops, instead of oil, to make fuel. It's renewable and causes less climate change because a lot of the carbon produced in burning it is reabsorbed as the new crop grows.

Governments and industry loved the idea so much that the European Union decided fully 10 percent of fuel should be made this way in the future, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips.

Then reality hit.

"[The] overall conclusion was that we really needed to slow down on biofuel production and use because all the new evidence shows there are some potentially harmful effects," said Professor Ed Gallagher, author of the Report on Biofuels.

A new European study shows that producing biofuels is helping drive up already skyrocketing food prices, some of which have effectively doubled in the past few years.

"We shouldn't be taking agricultural land and growing biofuels on it," said Nick Goodhall of the UK Renewable Fuels Agency. "In that sense, of course, if we are displacing food then that means it has got to come from somewhere else. So one can easily see why there might be an effect."

There was always going to be a relationship between what biofuels burn and what they stuff costs. But nobody really anticipated how much of an effect biofuels would have on the production and the price of food. It's caused a serious policy rethink.

Europe will now slow down its switch to biofuels and look for other new technologies instead.

Another problem is that refining some crops, like corn, into fuel can produce more greenhouse gases than simply using gasoline in cars in the first place. As can cutting down rainforests to grow sugar cane, for example. It's what scientists call bad biofuel practice.

"Bad biofuels, as they are known, are exactly that," said Goodhall. "They don't help anything and, in fact, can make problems worse."

Biofuels once seemed like a quick fix, but may have just been a detour on the road to a sustainable energy policy.

[shippg-2009]

Good. I just hope we do not take years to make the switch to some other kind of fuel. The world needs food relief NOW.

[sistatee-2009]

Why did it seem like a good idea at the time? Because the experts were too busy being PC to do their jobs. Next up will be the electric car, that "seems like a good idea now", but wait until you get the electric bill at the end of the month after plugging in your car to charge it up every night. It won''t seem so good then, will it.

[ubrew12]

SistaTee said: "It won''t seem so good then, will it."
No it wont. We should just give up on new ideas and burn oil till it runs out.

I''m having some trouble buying this one. We have historically payed out bizillions of dollars to farmers for NOT growing a crop. All in the name of "price protection".

[caeric]

1) High food prices are, in part, due to high fuel prices. The two are interlinked. Cheaper fuel will lead to cheaper food.

2) The US is capable of growing many more crops than we currently grow. Much of our farmland lies unused because of decreased profitability of farming, especially after the inception of NAFTA. Were we to return to farming much of that land, food prices would not be negatively impacted in the way they are now.

[tngreen]

In addition to the problems outlined in the article, the corn grown to produce fuel is GM corn and is NOT approved for human consumption. Cross-pollination with food crops threatens to destroy our food supply. This problem was projected and discussed years ago, but not covered sufficiently by the mainstream media, as usual leaving the public to hear about it after the damage has been done.

I gotta believe that any food shortages in the world are a function of capitalism and the pursuit of profit.
Calling it a function of capacity (or the lack of) is just wrong.

[deacon20081]

Ethanol is and was a BAD Idea. That however was secondary to the reality that "politics" in the farm belt and crop subsidies galore made it a win , win for the Corporate Farmers like Chevron, Texaco, Standard Oil, and Getty Oil. Oil fields surrounded by crops, what a deal.
I did not read the USA was going to stop the practice in the story, but I truly pray the ethanol scam is exposed and that it ceases to benefit the corporate offices of the Oil Companies. Feeding our people is the only matter that concerns me now.
Peace

[edward1975-2009]

deacon20081: Ethanol takes the subsidizing of farmers, for not growing food, away. It can be made from anything green and as of now hasn''t been proven to hurt the planet. Why pay farmers not to grow crops if there is a shortage?

[jgg000]

do you want to eat, or do you want to drive?

[mofuel]

first off crp was a good idea, until wall street companies started abusing it. when you plant crops it takes the minerals out of the ground and ruins the land. un-less you give it time to recover.
2. there are better alternitives than food for fuel,such as switch-grass and hemp, nobody starves that way and the economy does not go down the drain.

[sgtrds10-4]

Ethanol itself is not a bad idea. Using corn to make it is. there are other crops not as vital to the worlds food system that can be used, for instance sugar cane like the Brazilians use. Of course getting that idea past the powerful corporate farm lobby may take some doing. They''re loving the high corn prices.

[edward1975-2009]

There was a poster several weeks ago, who read that we import 40% of what we eat. I don"t know if that is accurate, but if it is, there is something wrong.

[andylance1]

The members of congress and senators that voted for the farm bill and ethanol scam a month ago along with Queen Nancy and Obama are criminal in their total disregard for world hunger and starvation. It is bad enough that gas has gone up to nearly $5 a gallon - but using corn for fuel has raised grocery prices by 30% in the past year.

It is time to throw the rascals out get a constitutional amendment on term limits for members of congress.

[sgtrds10-4]

It is time to throw the rascals out get a constitutional amendment on term limits for members of congress.

Posted by andylance1 at 12:25 AM : Jul 13, 2008

Mandated term limits are a terrible idea because they force out some good public servants. If it weren''t for term limits Clinton would still be President and we wouldn''t be in the godawful mess we''re in with this moron in the White House. besides the people already have term limits on politicians. If you don''t like them, then vote for the other guy! If they can''t win then obviously they weren''t a good replacement. That''s free market term limits.

[wardoglrs]

This is nothing just look at this

Finance, Favors and the FISA bill Obama & McCain on the take:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VYzIh5UlhY&eurl=http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/

The worst voting record:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/

[cyberus-2009]

----
Ethanol itself is not a bad idea. Using corn to make it is. there are other crops not as vital to the worlds food system that can be used, for instance sugar cane like the Brazilians use. Of course getting that idea past the powerful corporate farm lobby may take some doing. They''''re loving the high corn prices.

Posted by SgtRDS10-4
----
Agreed ... there are far more options than corn, which is not only a vital food crop but uses more oil to produce ethanol than its worth.
Sugar beets are one example, they grow in *less than ideal* soil types and climate and the tops make great animal fodder, likewise the mash after distillation. As mentioned in another post hemp grows quickly in substandard conditions also and the fiber could (if I remember right) can be extracted for cloth and paper first since it doesn''t contribute to the ferment.

[radiob-2009]

Skyrocketing food prices are more of a dual cause and effect, primarily the increase in the cost of oil based energys (gas, diesel etc) and then the depletion of food from it being used as a fuel instead of using all of the land that is barren that could be cultivated to grow our food with. I have my own garden and I am not buying any vegetables, give me time to acquire more land and I will not be buying any meat/poultry products. Now we have a abundance of natural/propane/methane gas which when converted from BTU''s to gallons equals .83 a gallon vs the price of gasoline which is $4+. There are already hydro fuel cells being used and if mass produced would significantly lower the cost. Windmills can supply electricity for our homes, just need the land and proper placement to have a continious supply. Time for a second American revolution, so get your shotguns pack them with rock, salt and rusty nails.

[pete_in_az]

this article should be titled the problems with ethanol as fuel. biodiesel has a small fraction of the impact on food prices. and it doesn''t have to have any if smokestack algae is as real as it is billed to be. in fact it could very well be an incredible help in reducing total greenhouse gas emmisions.

the answer is the sun. it doesn''t have to be a photovoltaic cell. if everyone in a sunny climate used solar hot water collectors to heat their hot water and home heating needs you''d be surprised. or how about mandatory upgrades on refrigeration systems of homes and buildings to highly efficient (18 eer (not seer scams) or better units)?

on that topic though, how many square miles of pv cells would the money that went to the iraq quagmire purchased?

[pete_in_az]

cornification of food

google it

[smurfcrusher]

Corn is not a viable biofuel. It takes as much energy to produce as it yields, it pollutes the air more than gasoline, it drives food prices up, and it reduces your gas mileage since ethanol has a lower energy density than gasoline.

In short, it''s a political gimmick to buy farm votes.

[ciitzenusa]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1725975,00.html

TIME magazine did a large article(above) on this almost 2 months. title: "The Clean Energy Scam"

Biofuel has been a total disaster.
Like almost every single proposal by liberals looking for a way to get off of oil ,it has been shortsighted, expensive, naive, ignorant, and actually made the enviroment worse and energy more expensive. Liberals don''t want to admit it, but the whole world would be better off if all of us has done NOTHING towards alternate energy development in the last 30 years, than the things they have forced us to do.
I''m sure it must rock their worlds to realize all of this work has been a waste of time and money.

[ciitzenusa]

See:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1725975,00.html

TIME magazine did a large article(above) on this almost 2 months ago. title: "The Clean Energy Scam"

Biofuel has been a total disaster.
Like almost every single proposal by liberals looking for a way to get off of oil ,it has been shortsighted, expensive, naive, ignorant, and actually made the environment worse and energy more expensive. Liberals don''t want to admit it, but as it turns out the whole world would be better off if all of us has done NOTHING towards alternate energy development in the last 30 years rather than the things they have coerced us to do.
I''m sure it must rock their worlds to realize all of this effort has been a waste of time and money.

[sidvicious44]

I doubt biofuel has anything to do with the cost of food. Whats causes increases in prices across the board is the cost of gasoline. Everything has to be transported somewhere. Manufacturing biofuel, and its removal from the food consumption sector is probably next to nothing.

But whats interesting about biofuel is that we just started doing this sort of thing, and gas prices still climb. Does it have no impact for the consumer?

[sidvicious44]

Shouldn''t it be cheaper? Or are you charging the consumer based on the regular crude market?

Whats the difference between an olive skinned lunatic, and a white one?

[sidvicious44]

This is the trouble with energy. And why its so un-competitive. People treat it like get rich quick scheme. And its like that with gas? Electricity? Anything to do with energy.

Al Gore is absolutely right. The only way America is going to solve its energy crisis needs is if its de-centralized and made independently available. No more big names manipulating the markets. Just a backyard or a garage system that gets its own energy. Then maybe the big name energy suppliers will start being more honest.

[sidvicious44]

We should have a worldwide technological union like strike against the oil companies. And the power companies. And all them companies that think they''re so tough. And get our own energy.

[sidvicious44]

diy (do it yerself).

Then maybe we can have an honest government fer a change.

[libsluv2spit]

Then maybe we can have an honest government fer a change.

Posted by sidvicious44 at 02:30 AM : Jul 13, 2008
+ report abuse

*********

or we can have citizens who EATS LESS...

[libsluv2spit]

We should have a worldwide technological union like strike against the oil companies. And the power companies. And all them companies that think they''''re so tough. And get our own energy.

Posted by sidvicious44 at 02:27 AM : Jul 13, 2008
+ report abuse

*********

we can tap your arse and have years of hot gas...

[jackie0428]

Yeah, like any person with an IQ above 25 is going to take advice from a poster named "sidvicious44". Might as well take advice from my neighbor''s Doberman. At least the dog speaks better English than Sid.

[antpicnic-2009]

why dont they just build a million windmills

[summarex]

There is only one type of alternative energy to speak of. It''s called nuclear.

[oneworldusa]

I knew something was wrong with this picture a few years ago when the 10% signs started showing up on pumps and suddenly ''summer blend'' was much higher than regular gas.

Nothing else new should be implemented unless it is a win for the environment, a win for reduced or elimination of dependence on foreign oil, and a win for customers paying at the pumps in the form of reduced prices. Nothing less will do.

"We shouldn''t be taking agricultural land and growing biofuels on it,"

I said this at the time ... idiots

[crater7]

G W OBAMA, THE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS, IS PUSHING CORN BASED ETHANOL. CORN IS THE TOP AGRICULTURAL CROP IN ILLINOIS. HMMMMMMMM, GO FIGURE.

GOD "BLESS" AMERICA. NOT "G D" AMERICA.

[neoconrcrazy]

there is something almost immoral about our using food for fuel when hunger is rampant in many parts of the world.

it''s even moreso when you think that these US corn/soya crops could be grown much cheaper in South america and even replaced by sugar cane -

but our Congress, under the lobbying thumb of big agri.businesses like Cargill or Bunge actually put sky-high import duties on imported cane from Brasil for example, in order to make these producers uncompetitive and to allow thes US companies a strangle-hold on this energy option.

biofuels are an option, but they must be developed where they''re geographically best suited.

[ichabod57]

All they need to do is use the corn plant instead of the corn, to create the Ethanol. Then we get the politicians and the Oil Lobbyists out of the picture and let it run its course. We have our Ethanol, they have their corn, and it''s a win-win picture. I currently pay $4.16 a gallon for gas and $3.66 a gallon for E85, and I get pretty much the same mileage on both.

I guess that''s too simple for the even simpler minds that run this country.

[easowards]

Instead of using corn, why not grow canola since you can get the ingredients from that plant and also algae will provide the same thing. Lincoln County High School in West Virginia will be producing enough fuel for one school bus this year and plans on planting canola to increase production. Yes, the high school students are producing biodiesel.

[skipschipper]

What happened to "using less"? Conservation seems a logical strategy for lowering dependence. For example, why is it ok for wealthy people to consume enormous amounts of energy (read: Al Gore) to heat and operate enormous homes, at the overal expense of everyone else. How about a national plan to limit the square footage of homes to 600 square feet per resident? According to estimates I''ve read, some 10 percent of the wealthy use 40 percent of the energy. Now let''s talk about this seriously.

[shanev137]

Gee....uhhhh....if you use your food supply as your fuel supply....daaaaaa.....do you really think da food costs will go up??

Another no-brainer issue/story.

[scratch0058]

"Another problem is that refining some crops, like corn, into fuel can produce more greenhouse gases than simply using gasoline in cars in the first place."

Read this again, folks, the REFINING of bio fuel makes more greenhouse gases than just burning pure gasoline! Bio fuels are just a *** stupid idea.

[a8151947]

You can pay for oil are find another way. Take it or leave it.---------IDIOTS

[sepa2]

US and the world needs more scientist and engineers at decision making level. The last president of science background, Carter clearly saw the impending energy crisis in 1979, but the dumb public, whose only interest is immediate gratification, rejected his ideas

[a8151947]

"saving mother earth". We a lone, the USA, can''t save mother earth. Why don''t some people think about them self more, like mother earth. Like some of the Idiots on here. Save your self ifd yoy are so worry about saving something.

[lib_crusher]

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Use corn and other crops, instead of oil, to make fuel."

Here''s right where this article goes horribly wrong! Anyone with half a brain in their head knew that taking from the food supply to bolster fuel supplies was BAD. Although I guess most alarmist scientists were, and still are, trying to convince the world that global warming is the dumb human''s fault.

LOL!!! It just keeps getting better.

[vndisabled]

What nonsense! The solution to our oil energy needs is right there and it''s not being mentioned - ALGAE, which yields many times any other crop(how about 40,000 gal of oil/year PER ACRE???)Why isn''t anyone following algae - there are even people waiting for someone in our govt to start, the same crop can be used to sequester CO2, it can be grown in vertical rows just about anywhere consuming minimal water, and in greenhouses away from weather and drought problems.
http://www.valcent.net/s/Ecotech.asp?ReportID=182039
HELLO - IS ANYONE AWAKE OUT THERE - SORRY - I FORGOT you don''t want to miss that "important" game this afternoon, QVC, or Paris Hilton''s next idiocy - right?

[tcoleman12]

According to article: "nobody really anticipated how much of an effect biofuels would have on the production and the price of food."
The libs and RINOs in congress were so ready to jump on this that no studies were done to see the down-stream effects of this on so many levels.
Not only food, but tap water costs, electricity costs and many other daily use items have increased dramatically due to raw material chemical shortages resulting from increased fertilizer production.
Other industries rely on streams of Ammonia and Sulfur related products that have been dramatically disrupted by increased corn and other biofuel crop production.

[ethomas1965-2009]

Here is why we really have too much dependence on crude oil in this country. This may offend some so if you are offended, tough. If we had any politician who is not afraid to send back the millions of illegal immigrants that here, the fuel and oil consumption of this country would decrease dramatically. There have been many politcal leaders who have known about the illegal immigrant problem and have done NOTHING! The government of the USA is responsible. We, as citizens of the US, are responsible. It is not the fault of Republicans alone nor is it the fault of the Democrats alone. It is the fault of all in the political culture. They have had the power to send the illegals back, they haven''t. The illegals are here on a "I crossed the Border Lottery" where is my money? program. If we cut the Social Security and welfare that is spent on illegals, you can reduce the amount National Debt. Bring the troops home from Iraq and have them patrol both the northern and southern border of this country and if a person doesn''t have a passport AND visa to be here send them back if they refuse shoot them. Always remember: If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.

[billster68]

Apparently some oil companies don''t rely on foreign oil - - I try to buy from them - - Arco, Conoco, BP, and Valero. The rest can go pound salt - - namely Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Exxon, Mobil, Marathon and Amoco. Especially I avoid Citgo because of it''s association to Venezuela.