Editorial: The Nonsense of Biofuels

Abstract

Fossil fuels, like mineral oil, coal, and natural gas, are derived from the biomass of ancient times. As such, they are indirect products of photosynthesis. It is therefore appropriate to ask whether we can use currently available biomass and convert it into biofuels like biodiesel and biogas. Biohydrogen might be another option. Often one can read that biofuels are CO2-neutral and therefore a weapon against global warming. Their production is also supposed to reduce the amount of petrol and natural gas to be imported into many countries, thus making them less dependent on energy import. In the following, I shall discuss the efficiencies of the processes required to produce biofuels, compare them with alternatives, draw the obvious conclusions, and present some visions.