Ensuring inexpensive and clean water is an overriding global challenge noted as one of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. This challenge will likely be intensified by the increasing demand for biomass-derived fuels (i.e., biofuels) for transportation biofuel needs, because (1) large quantities of water are needed to grow the fuel crops, and (2) water pollution is exacerbated by agricultural drainage containing fertilizers, pesticides, and sediment. These potential drawbacks are balanced by biofuels’ significant potential to ease dependence on foreign oil and improve trade balance(s) while mitigating air pollution and reducing fossil carbon emissions to the atmosphere.
Developing a sustainable national biofuels program requires careful consideration of logistical concerns (e.g., suitable production and distribution infrastructure) and of unintended environmental impacts. Numerous recent studies have considered the latter, with a primary focus on air quality, land use, and net energy value. These studies generally reflect beneficial environmental trade-offs for biofuels compared to fossil fuels, with a few notable exceptions that recently considered greater CO2 emissions associated with massive deforestation in tropical regions. However, the effect of increased biofuel production on water security has not been subjected to the same scrutiny. This paper seeks to understand and mitigate potential impacts to water resources, primarily those associated with the agricultural stages of the biofuel life cycle.

By: R. Dominguez-Faus, P. J. Alvarez, S. Powers, J. Burken

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