Suzuki on biofuel value
July 28, 2016
By
Scott Jamieson
July 28, 2016 - Renowned environmentalist David Suzuki weighs in on the complex issue of biofuel sustainability, finding no one-size-fits-all solution.
“The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is occurring mainly at the power plant level. But what about transportation? Can we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by switching to cleaner fuels? Or is this just an attempt to keep 20th century technology chugging along while trading one set of environmental problems for another?”
“Biofuels aren’t new and they aren’t used solely for transportation. Power plants can burn wood, for example, and many of the first autos, including Ford’s Model T, ran on ethanol or peanut oil. But they’re now seen as an alternative to fossil fuels for transportation.”
“Biofuels offer several advantages over fossil fuels. Most are less toxic. Crops used to produce them can be grown quickly, so unlike coal, oil and gas that take millions of years to form, they’re considered renewable. They can also be grown almost anywhere, reducing the need for infrastructure like pipelines and oil tankers and, in many areas, conflicts around scarcity and political upheaval.”
Read more on the Science Matters website.
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