And something about losing huge tracks of land from food production
Plans to make European motorists use more biofuels could take an area the size of Ireland out of food production by 2020 and accelerate climate change, a study has found.
The report by the independent Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is based on plans that countries have submitted to the EU detailing how they intend to meet their legal requirement to include 10% of renewable energy in all transport fuels by 2020.
IEEP calculations suggest that the indirect effect of the switch will be to take between 4.1m and 6.9m hectares out of food production. In addition, say the authors, opening up land to compensate for the food taken out of production will lead to between 27m and 56m tonnes of additional CO² emissions, the equivalent of putting nearly 26m more cars on the road.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Especially since so many food based biofuels are worthless in comparison to petroleum and sugar based fuels. Of course, the alarmists will ignore the whole thing. Less food means less people, which they like, and, who cares if this whole plan is bad for their insane cult? It’s intentions that count, not results.
Teach Ireland is 84,000 sq km. there are 100 hectares in a square kilometer the area of Ireland is 84.000.000. Please try in the future to check maths before cutting and pasting. Less than 10% of land equal to the size of dear Ireland would be needed AND with biofuel from algae which is coming along nicely MUCH less tahn that.Biofuels in Europe ARE sugar based, sugar beet. This 4,000.000 hectares is 4000 sq kilometers or an area less than 50×50 miles Of course ethanol was strictly 1st generation biofuel, sort of like Model T type cars the US Navy is powering its first gunboat on algae based biofuel.http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/oct/27/us-navy-biofuel-gunboat
The price of this fuel IS higher than petroleum but its cost will continue to drop while oil seems to be NOT.
It’s not my study, John. I’m just passing it on.
Geez Ryan, once again you show an inability to do basic math as well as read a simple article.
First, if the size of Ireland is 84,000 sq kilometers, and there are 100 hectares in a square kilometer, that means that there are 8,400,000 hectares in Ireland – NOT the 84 million you suggest.
Secondly, many people in Europe consider “Ireland” to be the “Republic of Ireland,” which does not include the northern island. That means the number of square kilometers in Ireland is closer to 70,000 which is exactly in the range the article cites.
Of course none of the math matters as you cannot dispute the central issue. More farmland is going to have to be used for the production of biofuels. That means a lost of food producing lands, or a further incursion into forested lands.
The UN noted that prices of food are likely to go up 40% within the next decade because of a lack of land to grow food. Are you disputing the UN?
I have no idea where you start playing around with 4000 but the fact of the matter is that 8.4 million hectares is 32,432 square miles or slightly larger than the state of South Carolina and slightly smaller than the state if Indiana.
While you continue to tout algae based bio fuels, you should realize that the carbon footprint for those fuels is dependent on how the algae is grown. In the most efficient manner, the carbon footprint is 4 times that of other bio fuels. (source: http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Algae-Cultivation-Worse-Carbon-Footprint-Than-Corn/ )
Being that so called “first gen” biofuels have 3 times the carbon footprint of fossil fuels, that means that algae based bio fuels will have 12 times the carbon footprint of fossil fuels.
The least efficient manner of growing algae based bio fuels impacts carbon emissions less, but the impact on water resources is much greater.
All of this is before the impact of biofuels on engine parts and motors themselves. Currently ethanol and other biofuels corrode engines and separate much faster than conventional fuels. Replacing engines and engine parts adds more to the carbon footprint.
Even in the test the Navy ran that you cited, the article states, “However, Cullom admitted that, as of today, algae-based fuels are no bargain. The current cost of a gallon of algae-diesel mix is $424 a gallon. “Any time you are an early adopter, it’s not going to be $3 a gallon,” he said.
The early versions of algae-based fuels had a short shelf life, with the fuel separating in the tank, sprouting, or even corroding engines. “They had some not very good characteristics at the end of the day,” he admitted.
With any new technology, the initial cost of a product is going to be higher. We all understand that. But while you are driving around polluting the world in your truck, remember that as of today that $3.00 a gallon diesel fuel in your 100 gallon tanks costs you $300 to fill up.
Now, go put your money where your mouth is and fill up those same 100 gallon tanks with a algae based bio fuel for $42,400.00.
We know you won’t have the guts to do it because like most on the left, you want others to suffer the consequences of your lies, deceptions and decisions. You don’t have the guts to actually lead, Ryan. You are more than happy pushing others out in front of you saying “you take the hit while I hang back.”
Maybe while you are being a REMF, you can try and actually learn basic math and how to read.
But I am not holding my breath.
I love Ireland. Have been there three times.
It is a beautiful country that has survived quite well and endured natural climate changes without the help of environ”mental”ists for eons.
I love that pretty, green country with such varied geological landscapes as the Giant’s Causeway in the north and the Burren to the south. And I will get back to it many more times before it is destroyed by globull warming, I am sure!