An article in the journal Science this week calculates the use of biofuels made from corn and cellulose will nearly double greenhouse gas emissions over 30 years.

Most prior studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gases because biofuels sequester carbon through the growth of the feedstock. These analyses have failed to count the carbon emissions that occur as farmers worldwide respond to higher prices and convert forest and grassland to new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels.

Using a worldwide agricultural model to estimate emissions from land use change, we found that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20 percent savings, nearly doubles greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years.

Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, increase emissions by 50 percent. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates and highlights the value of using waste products.

A second article explores the impact of land clearing for producing biofuels and its impact on climate change.

NewsClip: Study: Corn Fuels Hurt Climate More Than Gasoline

Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat

2/8/2008