Biofuels 'worse than petrol' for climate

This is of course the result anyone with a brain would have expected when bad science drives bad policy! A new generation of biofuels, meant to be a low-carbon alternative, will on average emit more carbon dioxide over the next few decades than burning petrol, according to a study published in the journal Science.   Governments and companies are pouring billions of research dollars into advanced fuels made from wood and grass, meant to cut carbon emissions compared with petrol. But such advanced 'cellulosic' biofuels will actually lead to higher carbon emissions than petrol per unit of energy, averaged over the 2000-2030 time period, the study said. That is because the land required to plant fast-growing poplar trees and tropical grasses will displace food crops, and so drive deforestation to create more farmland, a powerful source of carbon emissions. Full article here.

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