Biofuel is also dangerous to the environment, like gasoline
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The branch for the production of biofuel from the remains of corn over the past few years began to develop actively, since this type of fuel was considered less hazardous to the environment than gasoline. However, recent studies have shown that biofuels are no less a threat to the environment. First of all, biofuel reduces the amount of carbon in the soil and generates more greenhouse gases, compared to gasoline. Such conclusions were made by several independent research groups.
The Ministry of Energy financed the development of the production of biofuel, in particular from corn residues, for which more than a billion dollars was allocated. In one of the universities of America, researchers consider it inexpedient to produce biofuel from corn waste after harvesting.
A group of researchers, led by Adam Liska, used a modern computer to create a model for the effect of removing plant waste from all corn fields in the United States.
According to the mathematical model, when removing remnants from fields, about 60 grams of carbon dioxide is released in addition. As the statistics shows, annually about 100 gr / MJ of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. This figure is 7% higher than what is observed during the use of gasoline.
Also, the research team found that the amount of carbon dioxide does not change and does not depend on the quality of the waste treatment operations. Adam Liska stressed that the decrease in carbon in the ground slows down with the removal of fewer crop residues from the fields, but the amount of finished biofuel at the outlet in this case is much less.
Scientists suggest that in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and carbon losses in soil, only coverslips should be treated, which will also provide some advantages to producers (for example, the ability to process waste wood or perennial plants in biofuel). Also, scientists believe that it is necessary to introduce new cars with less fuel consumption. Adam Liska also noted that during the research, scientists were not able to find flaws and refute the research conducted by them. The head of the research group also stressed that several groups of scientists have made similar conclusions.
The findings of the experts will be confirmed by farmers who have repeatedly said that the conservation of plant waste in the fields is extremely important, since they represent a kind of protection against destruction and preserve the quality of the soil. However, scientists have not been able to establish the exact amount of carbon that is lost by the soil after the removal of waste from fields, and also to uncover the effect of this process on the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Adam Liska with his team, to confirm their model, took the latest data on monitoring the change in soil carbon levels from 2001 to 2010. Also, data from 36 studies from Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America were used.
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