Summaries of analyses in 2008 of biofuels policies by international and European technical agencies

Nov 2008

Since January 2008, international institutions, national technical agencies, and major international scientific organizations have released ten major reviews of biofuel policies. This brief summarizes their conclusions, which include:

  • World land use competition means liquid biofuels are only capable of making a limited contribution to world energy supplies and greenhouse gas reductions.
  • Direct and indirect land use change due to biofuels has a high potential to eliminate or greatly reduce their greenhouse gas benefits.
  • Biofuels have contributed significantly to crop price increases and food insecurity in the last few years.
  • Relying on biofuels grown on dedicated land is mainly likely to spur biofuel production and create rural jobs outside of Europe where production of feed stocks is cheaper.
  • Biomass is more efficiently used for energy and greenhouse gas reductions in electricity production than biofuels.
  • Large biofuel mandates should be reconsidered.

By: T. Searchinger (The German Marshall Fund of the United States)

 
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