Bio fuels: pros and cons!

With the growing population and increasing number of vehicles, the fuel demand is also increasing and if the same series will continue the present stock of fuel will exhaust soon. To combat the same, idea of biofuel comes into light as an alternative way. Biofuel is extracted from plants can be said bio fuel. The fuel can be said as environment friendly with little cheaper than the petroleum products. Hence the consumer and the environmentalists both will be happy.

But the notion of using biofuel seems good from above only. Though it is hygienic and economical and can make the farmers happy but the last year research results revealed shoking information which states that the plan should be revised again. Results say that it takes more energy to produce one unit of bio fuel than the bio fuel gives back. Hence it would not be any intelligence to use energy to produce something that in turn gave reduced energy. It is the United States of America which is trying to implement the concept of converting corn into bio diesel, as it would bring rewards for the farmers and would control the over-dependence of it on Arab oil. Though America has deeper pockets and can go for this loss. But the other countries can’t afford!

This will bring a threat to food price and food stock also. Biofuel is planned to be extracted from corn (Maize) which is the staple diet of Mexicans. If America will start using corn to extract the fuel then in place of supplying corn to its neighbour Mexico it will be the biggest consumer of this food. Growing crops for fuel in place of food can lead to troubles for common people to meet their demands of food.

World Food Programme executive director Josette Sheeran has said that the world’s economy “has now entered a perfect storm for the world’s hungry” caused by high oil and food prices and low food stocks. The inflationary pressures of high food price are likely to continue till 2010 at least. Solution to handle this situation is only to increase the land under agriculture and Reduction in the amount of land used for bio fuels.

But India seems to be on safer side. However hike in food prices is also a problem in our nation but the source of biofuel are not the staple foods like wheat or corn. The magic plant we are experimenting on is ‘Jatropha’. Even poor quality lands can be used to plant this source extensively. Producing electricity from bagasse, a by-product from the sugar industry, harnessing wind and solar energy can prove to be more sensible options for our country. We also need to invest in research so that we produce vehicles that are more efficient in energy consumption and less polluting.

But to fulfill the food requirement should be the first priority. Biofuels though completely satisfies all the conditions on environment and health but a detailed study is required about the pros and cons of using food crops and agricultural land for producing raw material for the bio fuels to prevent any kind of food shortages in the coming years.