Today, the Philippine Star carried this story - study says biofuels may speed up global warming. The story specifically refers to crop-based biofuels which are associated with the destruction of rainforests.
The Biofuels Act, I guess, was enacted to lessen our dependence on fossil fuel or oil. However, the study has indicated that new cropland for sugarcane, corn or soybeans are often carved out of intact rainforests or from disturbed forests.
Trees are cut down to make room for new farmland and usually burned, releasing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The need for new farmland has been growing since ethanol production has been increasing fourfolds from 2000 to 2007, and biodiesel production has grown 10 times during the same period.
Also it has been found that biofuels production has some negative impact on food prices and eats up a significant amount of energy. The study estimates that about a third of the deforestation could be the result of the increased demand for biofuels, often mandated by legislation.
It looks like all the major oil players in the country are now selling gasoline with 10% ethanol, as mandated by law. This is good for new and relatively new fuel-injection vehicles, but not for my 1995 vintage Space Wagon.
I wonder if the conclusion of this study will even get the attention of our authorities. Do I sound skeptic?
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