Biofuels Are Not Green

Biofuels are inefficient, ineffective and unfair:

"The overall efficiency of photosynthesis is very low: less than one percent of the energy of sunlight is stored in the form of biomass, and there is not much hope for a substantial improvement. Biogas and biodiesel per area unit and year contain about 0.4 % of the energy of the sunlight which the area unit has received in the same period. In addition at least 50 % of the energy which of biogas or of biodiesel had to be invested from conventional (fossil) energy sources to produce the biogas or biodiesel. Therefore, production and usage of biogas or biodiesel is not carbon dioxide neutral. By comparison, usage of photovoltaic cells is more efficient by a factor of 50 to 100 with respect to energy conversion, and electric engines are fourfold as efficient as combustion engines. Consequently driving a car using electric batteries, loaded by photovoltaic cells, and electric engines requires only 0.2 % of the land that would be required when driving a car with a combustion engines using biodiesel. Growing energy plants and biofuel production therefore is a very inefficient way of land use. The usage of biofuels made of palm oil or soy beans from tropical countries will enhance deforestation, lead to a loss of the tropical rain forest and increase climatic changes. In addition we shall lose biodiversity and many biological compounds which might help fighting human diseases. Most importantly, need the land to feed an increasing population."Photosynthesis, Biomass, Biofuels: Conversion Efficiencies and Consequences