From biofuel while there is more than harm, than advantage

The poster propagandising utility of use of biofuel. According to  this idealised scheme carbonic gas (Carbon dioxide), getting to atmosphere at fuel burning, communicates plants, and the vegetative weight is then processed for reception of a new portion of fuel. Actually by manufacture of biofuel of carbonic gas it is allocated in the sum much more, than communicates plants. A Fig. from a site www.alternative-energy-news.info  

Biofuel becomes fashionable . The countries making him hope in the future to find at least partial independence of fossil fuel constantly growing in the price (oil, coal and gas). Besides, it is considered that biofuel use should not lead to maintenance growth in atmosphere of carbonic gas (CO₂). After all quantity СО₂, allocated at its burning, is equal to that quantity which has already been withdrawn during photosynthesis of the plants used as raw materials for biofuel. Unfortunately , while growth of manufacture of biofuel leads only to additional emissions СО₂ in atmosphere. Especially disturbing situation develops in tropical areas where for the sake of plantations of corresponding cultures (first of all an olive palm tree) start to reduce rain woods and to plough up savannas. Calculations show that formed «a carbon debt» (quantity СО₂ arriving in atmosphere at destruction of a natural vegetative cover and burning of fuel) it is huge and to "extinguish" it it is possible only, growing up in these parts cultures for biofuel within decades or even centuries.

With transition to biofuel which starts to replace traditional fossil fuel, still high hopes recently have been connected. Theoretically arguing, biofuel use should lead to reduction of emissions СО₂ in atmosphere as it, as a matter of fact , is "carbon-neutral". The carbon withdrawn from atmosphere during photosynthesis, simply comes back in it at burning of the formed organic substance (biofuel).

Rainforest in Malaysia. It is well visible that it is few laying, the basic stock of carbon is concentrated in trunks of trees. If such wood is shown, and on its place plantations of an olive palm tree are broken, it is required more than 400 years to compensate allocation of the carbonic gas which has arrived in atmosphere at data of wood and transformation of these earths in a plantation. And extremely various flora and fauna will be lost for ever. A picture © Rhett A. Butler it is made in national park Taman-Negara. From a site travel.mongabay.com

However cultivation of corresponding cultures and manufacture from them fuel (for example, ethanol from corn) in itself demands considerable power expenses: it is necessary to plough the earth, to sow seeds, to provide watering and etc . All these expenses, naturally, are connected with burning of fuel and ejection in atmosphere of additional quantity СО₂. If total power expenses on biofuel manufacture are great, any expected reduction of issue (emission in atmosphere) СО₂ and other hotbed gases can and not occur.

Position is aggravated with that almost all earths, suitable for cultivation of agricultural production and so for a long time already are opened. When a part them start to use for the cultures going on biofuel (corn or a sugar cane for ethanol reception, an olive palm tree or a soya for reception of biodiesel fuel) the price for fodder grain and the foodstuffs at once grows. And owing to global character of modern economy the processes occurring in one country, now start to mention other countries.

The extremely dangerous tendency of last time is an extremely quickly extending manufacture of biofuel in tropical areas (in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia) where start to reduce virgin forests or to plough up original Brazilian savannas («campos») — «campos serrados», or «Cerrado". Destroyed biomes are characterised by extraordinary high variety of fauna and flora, serve as habitats of many kinds which are on the verge of extinction (for example, the orangutan in South East Asia or a jaguar in the South America), but also , contain a large quantity of the connected carbon — first of all in plants, but also — in organic substance of soil.

It is necessary to remind that in whole, in scales of all planet, in vegetation and soils contains in 2,7 times of more carbon, than in atmosphere. If the wood vegetation is cut down and burnt, it conducts at once to considerable receipt СО₂ in atmosphere. Besides , СО₂ continues still for a number of years (time of decades) to be allocated in such places because of proceeding rotting of the roots which have remained in soil and decomposition available there before organic substance.

Cerrado — the South American savanna, the original biom including sites of wood and grassy vegetation. This picture is made in Brazil, in a river Tocantins valley. A photo from a site www.unb.br. More in detail about cerrado it is possible to learn here  

"Elements" already wrote about negative ecological consequences of growing manufacture of biofuel (see: ecologically safe biofuel starts to threaten the wild nature, 2/19/2008). Recently it is a problem has been again mentioned in two articles which have appeared in one issue of the magazine Science.

Authors of first article (Joseph Fargione et al., 2008) have counted up so-called «a carbon debt» — the total quantity СО₂, allocated for 50 years both at burning of the received fuel, and by its manufacture, and at all stages, since destruction of primordial vegetation and preparation of the earths for the future plantations. Term in 50 years is taken because it is enough this time, that the most part of the organic substance which have remained in soil from ecosystem earlier existing on this place has decayed. Carbon which communicated the plants which are grown up for reception of biofuel, at "debt" calculation was subtracted. Calculations are resulted for plantations of an olive palm tree which in Malaysia and Indonesia have replaced rain rainforests, and for plantations of a soya which in Brazil have been broken on a place of a rain rainforest or the South American savanna (cerrado).« The carbon debt »is counted up also for corn fields (grown up for the purpose of ethanol reception), arranged in the USA there where still recently there was a prairie, and also for badlands on which start to grow up corn or long-term grasses of prairies.

Unless as raw materials for biofuel the vegetation of prairies which restore on badlands, of "a carbon debt» is used the size is rather impressive (see the diagramme): about 700 tons СО₂ counting on  hectare for rain rainforests. If wood grew on a peat bog the debt size reached record size — 3500 т СО₂ / hectare. It is slightly less (165–85 т СО₂ / hectare) the debt was for South American cerrado, transformed into sugar cane plantations (raw materials for ethanol reception) or a soya (raw materials for diesel fuel).

A — «a carbon debt» (in Mг CO2 on hectare, 1 megagram = 106 г = 1 ton) — quantity СО2, which should arrive in atmosphere for 50 years after transformation into plantations for reception of biofuel of this or that natural ecosystem in this or that region (see:« Former ecosystem "and" Location » — average and bottom numbers of inscriptions in the bottom of the diagramme). At calculation of this size it is considered not only allocation СО2, but also its linkage during cultivation of cultures. A brown top part of each column — the carbon which was in roots and organic substance of soil. Dark blue bottom — carbon in elevated parts of plants. B — a debt share (in %), going directly on biofuel. C — annual"payment"of a carbon debt (in Mg СО2 on hectare for a year). D — time (years) necessary for payment of a carbon debt. Directly under the diagramme the fuel and plant kind, used as raw materials is specified. First six columns concern natural ecosystems on which place plantations break, and last three — to the thrown degrading earths (heathlands) which have started to use for cultivation of the cultures going on biofuel. A Fig. from discussed article Fargione J. et al. In Science

Knowing speed from which the carbon debt pays off at cultivation in the mastered territories of cultures for biofuel, it is possible to calculate term during which this repayment will occur. In case of the rain rainforests transformed into "biofuel" plantations, this time is measured by several centuries, in case of prairies — about 100 years, in a case серрадо 20–30 years. Accordingly, throughout this time the biofuel received from the transformed earths, will not give any economy as regards СО2 in comparison with usual fossil fuel.

Expansion of manufacture of biofuel causes a wave of protests worldwide . In England the special public organisation observing of biofuel distribution is created even. In a picture participants of picket hold the poster with an inscription «Justice for local population. Take over the control of corporations on biofuel manufacture». Picket passed in October of last year and has been dated to «Biodiesel Expo in Newark» — the largest conference of manufacturers of biofuel in Newark (Nottingham, Great Britain). A photo from a site www.indymedia.org.uk

 

The second article (Tim Searchinger et al., 2008) it is devoted the situation which have developed with manufacture of biofuel in the USA where more and more arable lands it starts to be used for cultivation of corn for the purpose of ethanol reception. In 2004 in the USA by corn crops it has been occupied about 30 million in hectare of grounds, and 11 % of the area — only for ethanol manufacture. It is expected, however, that by 2016 about 43 % of the earths occupied now with corn, grown up for reception of fodder grain and bread, will be taken away under the corn which is grown up exclusively as raw materials for reception of ethanol. Accordingly, will begin plowing the new earths (old deposits), and as show calculations of authors, the prices for grain will increase. Growth of the areas occupied with agricultural crops in other countries — in particular , in Brazil, China and India will be the answer also.

Authors of the given work have calculated also allocation СО₂ connected with manufacture of ethanol from corn (at all stages), and too have come to unfavourable conclusions. While biofuel leads only to additional issue of carbonic gas in comparison with  traditional fossil fuel. That biofuel use (it is concrete — ethanol from corn) the beginning positively to affect balance of carbon and compensated additional emissions СО₂, especially considerable at initial stages of cultivation of corn, should pass 167 years! Only after so long cultivation of the plants going on biofuel, it will be possible to speak about its positive influence on balance of carbon of atmosphere. Within the first 30 years after transition to biofuel total quantity СО₂ (taking into account additional emissions), allocated counting on kilometre of a way of the car using ethanol, twice will exceed quantity СО₂ allocated at use of traditional fossil fuel.

While this note was written, news agencies have informed: «the Former vice-president of board" Gazprom "Alexander Ryazanov has conceived to construct bioethanol factory for 220 million euro. The company was already defined with a platform for factory building ... The Factory will be in settlement Dmitrovka (the Tambov region) ... The Project is focused on export, after all in Russia bioethanol sale while is unprofitable ... While such manufactures in Russia are not present. It high-risk business: the competition is great from Brazil where there is cheaper sugar cane, and in the long term Ukraine where manufacture of bioethanol from corn is planned can make a competition...»

Sources:
1) Joseph Fargione, Jason Hill, David Tilman et al. Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt //Science. 2008 V. 319. P. 1235–1238.
2) Timothy Searchinger, Ralph Heimlich, R. A. Houghton et al. Use of U.S. croplands for biofuels increases greenhouse gases through emissions from land-use change //Science. 2008 V. 319. P. 1238–1240.

See also:
1) ecologically safe biofuel starts to threaten the wild nature, "Elements" of 2/19/2008.
2) the Site of public organisation "Biofuelwatch" which is watching harmful consequences of manufacture of biofuel.
3) Video about data of woods to Borneo.
4) Preserving Peatland Rainforest Saves Orangutans... and the Global Climate (article about data of woods on the boggy earths in Indonesia).