With dependence on foreign oil being a hot topic these days, the government and the domestic automakers have been looking for alternative fuel sources. While several options exist, corn-based ethanol has seen the most support here in the U.S. While corn-based ethanol was originally touted as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, new reports are now finding that this is not the case.
A new report by Science magazine finds that biofuels actually produce more greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels when all steps of production are accounted for. In fact, the study finds that corn-based ethanol would double greenhouse emissions over the next 30 years.
The tremendous increase in greenhouses gases is a result of the energy required to fertilize, harvest and refine the biofuel, combined with the fact that the growth of corn replaces plants that help filter greenhouse gases.
According to another study conducted by Princeton and the Nature Conservancy, if the push towards corn-based ethanol continues, it could take up to 300 years to pay off the carbon debt.
However, some public officials are waking up to the dangers of corn-based ethanol. According to MSM.com, The UN is looking into the sustainability of biofuels and there is also word that Congress might reform the recently passed Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 — which calls for the increased production of biofuels.
