Comments on: NRDC: The Right Way to Use Biofuels

By: Shanti N

Shanti N — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:35:05 +0000

I must agree with all comments stated. Biofuels can have a great future within our society, but the matter of fact is whether or not we can sustain the balance between the use of whatever oil is left, and the caring of the Earth and how we would be able to obtain the necessary biomass needed to produce the actual net energy needed for the nation. Also, as the article doesn’t state, though there may be some downsides toward the use of biofuels, there is also some good to it. Yes, it does produce carbon emissions, but at this day and age , what form of energy doesn’t? There are some which don’t, but are they even brought to the attention to the public, do the public even care for that fact? all they know is they have cars, they have oil, and their government is providing it. sooner or later, the oil will run dry, and then what? We will have to look for some other form of energy, hopefully a renewable one, that can be accessed across the country. i just hope that the time is very soon, so in that way we have time to come up with a solid plan. I do believe that the use biofuel will lead us to a solution, but the problem remains, how?

By: Nick Schirqalli

Nick Schirqalli — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:14:13 +0000

Excellent words of caution, we do not want people starving,for example, by taking food for fuel. We at Natural State Research are converting waste plastics into hydrocarbon fuel. This fuel burns cleaner and more efficiently than gasoline. It also removes the pollution caused by decomposing waste plastics. It does not solve the entire alternative fuel problem; but, it could solve about three percent of it.

By: russ

russ — Mon, 25 May 2009 03:51:14 +0000

‘But big businesses are trying to inflict irreversible damage to these pristine places in the guile of electricity and biofuels.’

An attractive statement to make to excite the true greenies and other air heads. For one location you seem to be suggesting someone wants to grow biomass or collect solar energy in Alaska?

Biomass will be grown on prime or semi-prime land much as agri-business today. If a hippie is growing it in 50 kg batches then anywhere but if business is doing it in volume then materials handling is of prime importance. The power plant will be nearby – within 10’s of miles.

The suggestion to use kudzu and other undesirable weeds is great – maybe everyone sends their lawn clippings and collected leaves by UPS to the collection center?

For biomass you are talking billions & billions of tons – not a pickup load. The energy density of biomass is very low.

This is similar to the difference between Obama’s campaign where everything was promised to now when he works with reality. He knew this all along but his more fanatic supporters never realized there were two different situations, one theoretical and one practical – pre & post election.

Sorry to be nasty but it seems you needed a topic and this was the only thing that came to mind.

By: Jos Conil

Jos Conil — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:59:47 +0000

This is a well informed and balanced article. These concerns point to the fact that the approach of “one size fits all” will not work when it comes to sustainability.

Only a multiple source energy policy can tackle the need for alternative energy and effectively address the problem of climate change, without doing any irreparable damage to our pristine ecological heritage.

By: Gail Feddern

Gail Feddern — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:41:15 +0000

I agree. Of course, one position is that no matter what you do, some problems will also be caused. If that be so, we should make sure that the bad effects are minimal. As for biofuels, I think it’s totally unnecessary and undesirable to raze forests and monoculture corn! Instead, we should use kudzu and other undesirable weeds to make biofuels.

By: Francisco A Roque

Francisco A Roque — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:19:41 +0000

I still feel we should use some of the sea of oil we have instead of using corn and algae, they may have better uses for us people. The use of oil has now a limited use, since the price almost hit the 5 dls mark, it upset the whole world, except us, of course, but China, India and other countries are now running in air and electric, as for us here in the states, more and more people will go all electric, and hydrogen, and yes, air too. So my advice to Mr Obama is ‘Lets use that oil before we will not have any use for it’. And for the other’s people oil, well, they are going to find other uses for it.

Francisco el Grande

By: Mar Is Sol

Mar Is Sol — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:34:59 +0000

I wish my country would install this kind of energy because it would have a lot of benefits for both people and planet.

By: Cam McAlpine

Cam McAlpine — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:38:55 +0000

Good article that strikes an appropriately cautionary note. I would add that in these discussions we should also always keep in mind the distinction between Biomass for fuel and biomass for heat and power. Very different animals in inputs and outputs.

Thanks, Cam