Study critiques Ault Report on biofuels for quoting life-cycle studies that did not follow ISO guidelines, and overstating biofuel taxes

July 24, 2008

In Canada, a report commissioned by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association identified numerous errors in a C.D. Howe Institute report by Douglas Auld that criticized biofuel production. The report cited the Auld study for quoting life-cycle analysis studies that did not adhere to ISO guidelines for LCA analytic work, for quoting secondary research sources that also did not follow ISO standards for life-cycle analysis; for comparing data that used different methodologies, different times and different geographies; and for incorrectly calculating the energy taxes attributable to ethanol.

The report also raised the interesting question, related to the price of Mexican tortillas, of protests lodged against the US by the Mexican government several years ago against the low price of corn, which it said was devastating its corn industry.

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Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under International