Defined, biodiesel fuels “come from renewable sources” like plants (Al-Zuhair, 57). Biodiesel fuels are appealing to so many because cooking oils can be chemically altered into functional biofuels. However this cannot replace American dependence on fossil fuels. Even if all the oils from McDonald’s restaurants of the entire world were chemically altered to biofuels “it would amount to 75,000 barrels per day” (Schulz). As astounding as this statistic may seem, it accounts for only 0.004% of America’s daily oil use (Schulz). And an increase in biodiesel fuels is not feasible because America lacks land to produce this much fuel. The soybean “yields only about 48 gallons of biodiesel per acre. At that yield, there is not enough land in the United Sates to produce enough biodiesel to significantly change consumption patterns,” (Tabak, 90).
Politicians and scientist argue in favor of biodiesel fuel because of its high energy yield. Research says that there is “three times as much energy obtained by burning biodie
sel as is used in producing it” (Tabak,85). This increased energy yield comes with increased price. A company, Earth Biofuels, “found itself paying more to produce a gallon of biodiesel than it was earning by selling it” (Schulz). Unless there is a decrease in the amount of money it takes to produce a gallon of biodiesel fuels, it will not be a sustainable alternative regardless of its energy yield. Likewise, having a biodiesel fueled country would have unintended effects on the economy. With the use of corn, soybeans, and other plants as the source that fuels the country, this would yield an increased price for such grains (Tabak,98). With an increase in price of grains, there would be an increase in the cost of living, adding further complications for poverty and world hunger (Alternative). There are alternatives to America’s fossil fuel dependency, but biodiesel fuels is not the one.
Works Cited
Al-Zuhair, Sulalman. “Production of biodiesel: possibilities and challenges.” Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining 1.1 (2007): 57-66. Wiley Online Library. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.
Are Biofuels a Viable Alternative to Fossil Fuels?. Alternative Energy, 2008. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.
Schulz, Max. “Biodiesel Will Not Significantly Reduce Oil Dependence.”American Spectator Mar. 2009: 38-40. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.
Tabak, John. Biofuels. New York: Facts On File, 2009. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.
Picture Citation -
Carlson, Stuart. “Biofuel or food?”. Cartoon. “News: UN calls impact of biofuel on food crisis criminal”. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2008. Web. 9 Mar. 2012.
Posted by: Jaclyn Nielson
I agree with the argument that biodiesel fuel is not the answer to America's fossil fuel dependency. The negative impact biodiesel fuel would have on the economy would not be worth the increase in price of grains, and price of living. While trying to solve America's fossil fuel problem, we should not further other problems such as poverty.
ReplyDeleteAs I was researching, I had the exact same thought process. While we seek to find alternative energy sources in order to solve fossil fuel dependency, we should not be creating further problems for ourselves. That would be counterproductive. Likewise, world hunger has been an ever prevalent issue that is still not close to being solved. It does not make sense to me that we would compound that problem buy depleting the food supply in an effort to create biofuels. Since there are other sources in which we can find energy, I believe that our best efforts should be in alternatives rather than biofuels.
DeleteThis is a valid argument. I do like that the fact there are companies in the private sector looking to provide viable solutions. This is a better solution than only depending the government to provide all the answers. As society continues as a whole to move in that direction, the private sector will feel the pressure from and continue to come up with new alternatives.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I feel that the private sector companies play and integral part in moving government forward. As the private sectors advance technology with regard to these alternative energy sources, it keeps government working to establish energy policies. I feel almost that the private sectors do a lot of the work as far as technology goes, but government is there to give its stamp of approval. As far as energy regulation and policy is concerned, we need the private sectors to work to find alternative energy sources and then government to see that it is carried out.
DeleteI agree with what you're saying here. I don't feel that we have enough resources to replace fossil fuels all together. I feel that according to your stats it would even help that much to switch over. I wonder if just the notion of us trying to become more independent from relying on fossil fuels through these alternative fuel sources would lower the prices we pay for it? I mean this could add more competition to the business and usually competition results in lowered prices.
ReplyDeleteThough, through the law of supply and demand, the fact that competition would lower prices normally takes place, I do not think that biofuels would follow this same pattern. Because it is more expensive to produce biofuel than it is to purchase it, this market is not very strong. Businesses would (and have) collapse. However, I believe more scientific research must take place before biofuels can be a competent source of energy. Until we can make it less expensive to produce than to purchase, biofuels will not be a marketable resource on a grand scale.
ReplyDelete