Increased biofuel production can result in large impacts on biological diversity through land conversion, introduction of invasive species, and the soil and water impacts common to agriculture. Studies have shown that substantially increased biofuel production can result in habitat loss, increased invasive species, and nutrient pollution, especially if crop production replaces native forest. The science for characterizing impacts of emissions from land use is emergent, however recent advances in modeling and new standards and regulation have increased clarity on the issue.
Advances in modeling have also enabled a likely range for impacts of indirect land use of In the United States, study results of commodity competition for biofuel feedstocks vary.
Biofuel projects are at risk for the same human rights challenges faced by the agricultural sector broadly e. Exploitation sometimes includes unlawful child labor and migrant workers. Additionally, land-use conflicts and tension with traditional livelihoods are other important factors that have the potential to produce human rights challenges.
Certain biofuels consume more water than any type of fuel energy, though there are notable variations by feedstock type, fuel pathway, and irrigation patterns. The freshwater intensity of biofuels from soy and corn can be two orders of magnitude larger than average freshwater consumption for the oil-to-liquid fuels supply chain primary recovery.
Yet the regions and crops that matter most to North American fuel users in the near term are mostly low- or no-irrigation crops. Advanced biomass-to-liquids BTL conversion using non-food feedstocks or agricultural waste products and counting co-products reduces GHG emissions percent compared to diesel. Biofuel approved under either the U. Biofuels produced from feedstocks in rain-fed agricultural regions of the United States would ensure minimal water availability impacts. Zero-emissions controls can eliminate other air pollution during vehicle operation.
The Natural Resources Defense Council produced a report on biofuel sustainability certifications that highlights Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials RSB as an exemplary market-based standard. Biofuels from plant and animal wastes such as tallow, cooking oil, and second-generation biomass-based diesel alternatives from biomass-to-liquids offer highest lifecycle GHG benefits.
Once fleet owners are satisfied with fuel availability regionally and vehicle technologies, they can roll out on small scale in those areas.
Since the introduction of catalytic converters and improved fuels to enable them in the mids, there have been significant reductions in tailpipe emissions. Risks to human health from diesel exhaust in North America have been drastically reduced as a result. New telematics enable fleet efficiency, while numerous innovations in vehicle design have increased fuel economy, and built-in technologies help capture tailpipe emissions.
Companies may also consider creating off-take agreements for low-carbon biofuels as part of a program to develop reliable markets for biofuel suppliers.
These options can help advance these industries in the early stages of commercialization. Diesel blends that utilize up to 20 percent biodiesel B20 are compatible with standard diesel engines. Fleets in the Midwest, especially, can benefit from the approximately publicly available stations, and fleet owners in those regions can invest in private fueling infrastructure that takes advantage of the regional biodiesel processing and distribution system.
The IEA projects all biofuel can offer a 50 percent GHG reduction from fossil fuel diesel with proper policy incentives. Companies like Amazon are exploring technologies to address the challenges of climate change. Read More. The link between the quality of government institutions that implement policies controlling corruption and economic development is clear.
However, in many parts of the world, corruption is still one of the biggest obstacles to social and economic development. Biodiesel has a tangible impact on carbon emission savings and should, therefore, be at the forefront of global transport decarbonisation.
The imperatives of the COP21 and the decarbonisation of our economy requires a multilateral effort, in which all technologies have a role to play. Furthermore, the first-generation biofuel industry contributes to the innovation effort and invests in the development of advanced biofuels. Halting incentives for 1st generation biofuels only signals to investors that the EU lacks policy coherence and predictability. But are biofuels really sustainable or carbon-neutral? And which models are most likely to be effective over the long-haul?
These were among the questions before workshop participants. The biomass needed to make biofuel can come from an array of sources, from agricultural crops such as soy and corn to managed natural areas and landfill waste. Even algal blooms have been given consideration. To date, corn-based ethanol has received the most attention from industry and the media. Workshop participants identified several critical flaws common to most agriculture- based biofuel models.
Intensive farming, and subsequent fertilizer use, would degrade terrestrial habitat, freshwater ecosystems, and coastal oceans. Current biomass-to-fuel conversion technology is both inefficient and energy intensive. And, perhaps most insurmountable, there is not enough arable land to grow the sea of plant material that would be needed to replace fossil fuel with liquid biofuel.
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