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Report: Most biofuels aren't green

TG Daily -- Biofuels were under the microscope all summer in the U.S. due to drought-prompted concerns about the bite they can take out of food supplies.

Now they're under assault by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), who've made the blunt assessment that "most biofuels are not green."

The researchers there say studied the full life-cycle impact of biofuels – looking at what the fuels consume, what they produce and what they cause, a concept Europeans call "ecobalance" – and found "only a few biofuels (have) an overall better ecobalance than petrol."

??The group notes: "According to the National Institute of Space Research, deforestation in the Amazon has declined sharply just as American biofuels production doubled.

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Submitted Sep 29, 2012 By: NOTSOGRN

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,623 Points:1,609,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 4, 2012 11:00:59 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse would be nice if we could get EtOH out of the "biofuel" category...
EvergreenON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:943 Points:483,690 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 30, 2012 6:35:11 AM Ignore EvergreenON Report Abuse Drop out ethanol production
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,305 Points:1,637,945 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:49:39 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse WOW!
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,852 Points:1,613,000 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:18:27 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse Corn-based ethanol should have fared poorly in this study if they really took everything into account. First, the diesel fuel consumed to cultivate, harvest, and haul the corn and to haul the ethanol itself, then the petroleum-based fertilizer used on the fields and finally the reduced vehicle mileage realized when ethanol is added to gasoline. To complete the study they must include the increase in food prices due to the diversion of corn to fuel, the increase in vehicle maintenance caused by ethanol, and the water pollution caused by fertilizer runoff from fields. If the whole process is considered, ethanol will have a net energy value of close to zero.
flagtown25 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,177 Points:492,405 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:15:19 PM Ignore flagtown25 Report Abuse Absolutely not.
eblair54 Sophomore Author Missouri Posts:143 Points:436,250 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:13:42 PM Ignore eblair54 Report Abuse Interesting.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:413,640 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:13:19 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse @rahcat, mind telling the rest of us what you think the EPA will do now?
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,468 Points:662,950 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:10:21 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Now that the truth is out, watch out for the EPA.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:413,640 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 11:08:15 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Let's get one thing straight, @FlogNut. Envirionmentalists never advocated for bio fuels. You can thank the agriculture lobby for that. Deforestation in order to plant crops for bio fuels is one of the worst things people can do to the planet. 20% of the greenhouse gases emitted every year are from burning trees to clear land for farming. Not only were all those trees absorbing the CO2 in the air but burning the trees just released all of the carbon stored in the wood into the atmosphere.
phinsup67 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:5,365 Points:1,179,880 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:56:51 PM Ignore phinsup67 Report Abuse Ok
SparkieMi Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:3,258 Points:588,325 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:54:57 PM Ignore SparkieMi Report Abuse Time will tell.....
NedW Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:5,614 Points:1,142,245 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:54:55 PM Ignore NedW Report Abuse Good article.
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,227 Points:818,545 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:54:27 PM Ignore mcmonsta Report Abuse so is this green...light?
ExplorerWA Champion Author Washington Posts:4,083 Points:797,250 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:53:52 PM Ignore ExplorerWA Report Abuse What it's not green?
PizzaMon Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:5,134 Points:1,862,405 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:52:03 PM Ignore PizzaMon Report Abuse The truth will all come out eventually.
CCLighthouse Champion Author Hartford Posts:1,008 Points:214,005 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:49:23 PM Ignore CCLighthouse Report Abuse I concur TNT2EC.
Holly123 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,202 Points:790,210 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:45:10 PM Ignore Holly123 Report Abuse Well then ....
danol43 Champion Author Modesto Posts:1,701 Points:589,235 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:44:42 PM Ignore danol43 Report Abuse No surprise
tutaw Champion Author Kentucky Posts:3,600 Points:842,745 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:42:51 PM Ignore tutaw Report Abuse really
abacus44 Champion Author Toms River Posts:3,480 Points:747,740 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:41:56 PM Ignore abacus44 Report Abuse This has been reported for years but the government bureaucrats never pay attention.
TNT2EC Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:4,994 Points:1,513,585 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:41:13 PM Ignore TNT2EC Report Abuse Not a surprise, just a way to use some waste oil.
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:872,740 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:40:24 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse Biofuels were always a lot of hype. The ethanol lobby did a great job, even though it has now been shown that ethanol is more expensive and uses more energy to producer than it saves, we still have the mandate.
qwerty17 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,655 Points:1,117,900 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:40:24 PM Ignore qwerty17 Report Abuse ...they also come in many other shades.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,901 Points:2,132,580 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:38:43 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse More bunk from users of myths, not science. Assumptions all over the place without justification by facts.
big_mac64 Champion Author Tennessee Posts:10,593 Points:1,485,690 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:36:18 PM Ignore big_mac64 Report Abuse something I've been saying all along. glad to see a story about it, finally!
Shakleelady31 All-Star Author Fort Wayne Posts:571 Points:401,600 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:35:28 PM Ignore Shakleelady31 Report Abuse Interesting.
g747 Champion Author Mobile Posts:4,541 Points:933,670 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:34:53 PM Ignore g747 Report Abuse Does it depends on the originality of the fuel source?
bobcatfan Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,602 Points:618,520 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:33:32 PM Ignore bobcatfan Report Abuse It all depends on the source of the fuel.
30mpg80 Champion Author Lexington Posts:10,035 Points:1,487,855 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:31:46 PM Ignore 30mpg80 Report Abuse Don't care what color it is, just not from OPEC
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,805 Points:819,310 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:30:20 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Another tree-hugger wacky tobaky pipe dream gone south...
driveonby1 Champion Author Toledo Posts:1,507 Points:256,665 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:30:15 PM Ignore driveonby1 Report Abuse Makes sense; another government intrusion into the marketplace with little knowledge but lots of liberal frosting.
davenles Champion Author Texas Posts:3,201 Points:718,885 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:28:45 PM Ignore davenles Report Abuse One of the downfalls.
JR57CA All-Star Author Los Angeles Posts:788 Points:326,125 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:28:24 PM Ignore JR57CA Report Abuse DUH! As a rocket scientist, I could have told you this a long time ago. Better than petrol, by the way, is NOT saying much. Also, the consequence of depleting another "resource" to create fuel is no answer!
Azimuthal Rookie Author Hamilton Posts:32 Points:119,930 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:27:22 PM Ignore Azimuthal Report Abuse I agree, Biofuels are not green !!!
waynemustang Champion Author Indiana Posts:6,372 Points:1,665,560 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:22:15 PM Ignore waynemustang Report Abuse The big lie of biofuels.
FreeeBee Veteran Author Atlanta Posts:343 Points:223,845 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:20:51 PM Ignore FreeeBee Report Abuse If you wear green glasses everything will be green. It is all for "green" after all..
GordoM Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,004 Points:993,890 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:16:46 PM Ignore GordoM Report Abuse Various studies have been saying this for a while now but the ethanol / alternative energy political / media juggernaut keeps rolling up your tax dollars. Apparently its image, not science that rules.
darkknight1 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:4,340 Points:896,060 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:15:08 PM Ignore darkknight1 Report Abuse not surprised
bkplenge Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,618 Points:121,850 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:12:48 PM Ignore bkplenge Report Abuse A great reason to stop ethanol.
netman044 Champion Author Texas Posts:6,848 Points:1,289,025 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:11:06 PM Ignore netman044 Report Abuse Not that surprised but they are renewable
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,565 Points:1,512,175 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:11:06 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Not surprised
CAroadrunner101 Champion Author California Posts:1,827 Points:1,316,175 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:09:50 PM Ignore CAroadrunner101 Report Abuse now what...
blazerbob91 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,145 Points:1,883,670 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:09:09 PM Ignore blazerbob91 Report Abuse So what else is new
FlogNut Champion Author Chicago Posts:104,340 Points:1,988,425 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:08:45 PM Ignore FlogNut Report Abuse So I guess the environmentalists aren't saving the plant after all!
drobbbb Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,480 Points:812,460 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:07:56 PM Ignore drobbbb Report Abuse ok
rf6480 Champion Author Miami Posts:1,534 Points:547,805 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:02:54 PM Ignore rf6480 Report Abuse at least the ones allowed to make it to market
mrbee Champion Author Little Rock Posts:3,758 Points:2,466,585 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:02:46 PM Ignore mrbee Report Abuse Of course.
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,713 Points:760,255 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:02:10 PM Ignore SpankyMI Report Abuse Weird science?
CISA Champion Author Orange County Posts:5,946 Points:1,398,990 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 10:01:49 PM Ignore CISA Report Abuse what a hoot! next we'll find out the earth is cooling
Baron62nd Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,022 Points:1,671,095 Joined:Sep 2007	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 9:59:57 PM Ignore Baron62nd Report Abuse Most green products are not green either.