A recent study conducted by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) on behalf of the German Environmental Aid (DUH) has found that biofuels do not have the desired climate protection effect. According to the study, the production of biofuels generates more greenhouse gases than the amount saved by replacing fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The study suggests that if the agricultural land used for growing plants for biofuel production were instead left to nature or used for solar panels to produce electricity for electric cars, it would significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
The study estimates that in Germany alone, CO2 emissions would be reduced by approximately 16.5 million tons if the agricultural land used for biofuel production were left to nature. In contrast, the use of biofuels in 2020 in Germany only saved a maximum of 9.2 million tons of CO2. This means that the use of biofuels has CO2 opportunity costs of about 7.3 million tons. The DUH is calling for the immediate use of biofuels made from specially bred plants to address this issue.
Biofuels have been controversial in Germany for several years, with diesel being mixed with biofuels made from oil from rapeseed, soy, oil palm, and other oil plants. Additionally, corn, grain, beets, and sugarcane are also used as raw materials. The study found that the use of biofuels made from food and feed accounted for 5.3 percent of the total energy consumption of the entire transportation sector in 2020.
The study’s author, Horst Fehrenbach, suggests that the effect on CO2 emissions would be even greater if the land used for biofuel production were used for solar panels instead. The production of solar power for electric cars requires 97 percent less land than the production of biofuels for the same driving distance. The DUH is urging the government to take immediate action to address the issue of biofuels and their impact on the environment.
In conclusion, the study highlights the negative impact of biofuels on the environment and suggests that alternative solutions such as solar panels should be considered. The DUH is calling for immediate action to address this issue and reduce CO2 emissions.
