Browse > Home / Consumers & Fleets, Policy, Producer News, Research / 93 percent increase in greenhouse gases? Renewable Fuel Association says fossil fuels created the “carbon debt we can never repay”

93 percent increase in greenhouse gases? Renewable Fuel Association says fossil fuels created the “carbon debt we can never repay”

February 11, 2008

The 93 percent increase in greenhouse gases from biofuels production, predicted in two articles in Science magazine, has attracted initial responses from biofuels advocates.

Bob Dineen, the executive director of the Renewable Fuels Association, said: “It is important that we all take a step back and reflect on why we must aggressively deal with climate change. It’s because for more than 100 years we have burned fossil fuels like coal and oil without concern for the environmental consequences. This laissez faire attitude has [created] a “carbon debt” that can never be repaid. Failing to adopt technologies available today, like biofuels and improved gas mileage… relegates the world to more of the same…You must ask yourself, if not biofuels, what?”

Brian Jennings, executive vice-president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, testifying before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the implementation of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), cited concerns about the proposed penalizing of corn-based ethanol for so-called “indirect land use changes” that are calculated against the fuel’s lifecycle emissions analysis.

Some models being developed assume that increased demand for corn in the U.S. is causing previously uncultivated land in developing nations to be cleared for agricultural production. It then calculates the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from land clearing in Brazil and assigns those estimated emissions to the lifecycle emissions analysis of corn-based ethanol in the U.S.

“It is unmistakable,” said Jennings, “decreasing petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions will require both grain and cellulosic biofuels. Implementation of the new RFS needs to recognize this fact. If the EPA applies arbitrary indirect land use modeling and penalizes grain-based ethanol in the RFS rulemaking, ACE will be forced to oppose the rule change and encourage Congress to help provide a common sense remedy.”
Two papers published in Science magazine this month have attempted to calculate the added effect of land-use conversion on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with biofuels, and concludes that production of almost all biofuels “resulted, directly or indirectly, intentionally or not, in new lands being cleared, either for food or fuel.”

  • Corn ethanol production increases greenhouse gases by 93 percent: study
    • In Washington, the multi-institution study published in Science magazine concluded that, over a 30-year period, the production of corn ethanol increases greenhouse gas emissions by 93 percent, instead...
  • Energy Information Administration says US will fall 10 percent short of 2022 biofuels goal; greenhouse gases to increase 16 percent by 2030
    • In Washington, the Energy Information Administration projected that the US will blend only 32.5 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022, well short of the Renewable Fuel Standard target of 36 billion gallo...
  • Comparison of US Presidential candidates’ climate change proposals
    • The Christian Science Monitor released a brief overview of several US presidential candidates' positions on climate change initiatives. Carbon Tax: Sen. Christopher Dodd. Cap-and-trade system on...
  • Biofuels emissions authors say biofuels OK if made from waste, perennials, or abandoned land
    • The University of Minnesota researchers who started a global controversy over biofuels emissions, with an article in Science magazine that has been reprinted and discussed around the globe, said that ...
  • Carbon Green plans to secure carbon credits for more US biofuel plants
    • In Illinois, Carbon Green said it expects to significantly increase carbon credit grants for US ethanol plants, following the first grant of credits to the 44 Mgy Corn Plus facility in Minnesota. Carb...
  • Newsday calls biofuels supporters “Biofools” in Science magazine article aftermath
    • Reaction to last week's shocking Science magazine articles continued, with a negative editorial in Newsday that called biofuels supporters "Biofools". The editorial stated that "ethanol and other biof...

    Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under Consumers & Fleets, Policy, Producer News, Research 

    Comments

    One Response to “93 percent increase in greenhouse gases? Renewable Fuel Association says fossil fuels created the “carbon debt we can never repay””

    1. simplicator on February 11th, 2008 12:01 pm

      These guys are obviously on the payroll of big oil. From their “logic” we need to reassess the impact of petroleum since its rising cost is making people burn down rain forests!

      There are billions of acres that were cleared long ago for lumber, over farmed and now lay fallow because the soil won’t support crops. Planting jatropha brings jobs to these areas and if you plant, tend and harvest by hand there will be a net negative CO2 impact. It is very expensive to clear forests, so with all of this fallow land, don’t you think it will get used first?

      These guys also never take into account that we will soon solve the algae puzzle, waste-to-fuel and other technological breakthroughs that will move biofuels beyond its beginnings. We need more support for advancing biofuels instead of greedy, misinformed “scientists” kicking dirt on them. We have to take away all petroleum subsidies and apply all of that money toward effective alternatives.

      Steve Stout
      San Jose, CA

    Got something to say?

    You must be logged in to post a comment.