Now here is a really interesting energy debate. There is a niche of people and companies out there that are just praising the benefits of biofuels, but can they work to help wean us off of Oil?
I was reading some information on this and came across this article by BP, agree or not agree, there is some very informative information contained within, so I thought I would re-post it here. If you look at some of these statistics and the possible results it really makes you think.
Earth for Energy also has a video that talks about this and more energy alternatives, take a look at the video, read the article and get yourself a little better informed.
Article:
By 2030, global energy consumption is projected to grow by 36% and, in our view, demand for liquid transport fuels will have risen by some 16 million barrels more a day. With the world’s population projected to reach 8.3 billion by then, an additional 1.3 billion people will need energy. To meet this demand a diverse energy mix is needed. This is where biofuels can help; in the next two decades, biofuels is expected to provide some 20% (by energy) of the growth in fuel for road transport*.
These statistics highlight some pressing questions. Can we meet growing demand for energy? Can we guarantee secure energy supplies? Can we tackle climate change if we rely solely on conventional fossil fuels to meet growing demand?
BP and biofuels
BP is convinced that a significant increase in the use of biofuels, produced responsibly from carefully chosen renewable feedstocks and processes, in the 'overall energy mix' will help to reduce global greenhouse gas levels significantly and with immediate impact.
We’re not alone – the EU has committed to reducing its overall emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. One of the ways it hopes to achieve this is by increasing the share of renewable fuels in energy use, including biofuels, to 20% by 2020. The US plans to increase the amount of biofuels it uses from 9 billion US gallons in 2008 to 36 billion by 2022.
Biofuels make up around 3% of transport fuels used today but this can easily rise to 30% or even more by 2050. In addition to improving security of energy supply and driving innovation and improvements in agriculture we are convinced that this would deliver CO2 reductions from road transport of 20% or more.
Big in Brazil!
Can we really make a significant switch from from fossil fuels to biofuels in our cars? It won’t be easy, but one country has already provided a route map. Back in the 1970s, Brazil diversified its energy mix to combat concerns about energy security – investing in alternative energy sources, including hydro-electricity and biofuels. Today, 45% of its energy comes from renewable sources and around 90% of all Brazilian road vehicles now have 'flex fuel' engines that can run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol, produced from sugar cane. Has this made a significant difference to the country’s CO2 emissions? The answer is yes, with 600 million tonnes of CO2 avoided since the 1970s. (Source: UNICA)
*Source: BP Outlook 2030, published in Jan 2013
Don’t forget to Watch the Earth for Energy video by clicking here! Till Next Time…
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