Burmahl, B. (2022, November 10). Biofuel on the road to energy, cost savings. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.anl.gov/article/biofuel-on-the-road-to-energy-cost-savings

Beth Burmahl’s “Biofuel on the road to energy, cost savings” article discusses recent research done by Argonne National Laboratory on biofuels for different engine types in the US. Burmahl brings to light that not only can biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 60%, they can improve fuel efficiency and become cost-effective competitors to non renewable energy sources. According to research done by Argonne, the Pacific Northwest, and Idaho National Laboratories, engine design is the key to advancing the efficiency of biofuels as well as maximizing vehicle performance. This research included using forestry byproducts like wood waste, agricultural byproducts like corn stover, and new tech such as fermentation, catalysis, and pressure. The results showed that many forms of biofuel compete with current costs of petroleum fuel, and ten of them “have the potential to reduce greenhouse gasses by 60% compared to petroleum gasoline.”

This November 2022 article discusses the more recent advancements of biofuels and focuses on the research, as it is published by a research facility. This means that it is likely to omit some of the important negative consequences of the new technologies, so it is important to take everything with a grain of salt. That being said, the fact that this research indicates such a high potential to reduce greenhouse gasses while being affordable is exciting and hopeful news. In addition, I’m glad that there are ways to create biofuels using the waste products of industries that are already present, instead of planting new crops and introducing much more nitrogen oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Fairley, P. (2022, December 13). The New Era of biofuels raises environmental concerns. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-new-era-of-biofuels-raises-environmental-concerns/

Peter Fairley’s December 13 article on Scientific American raises concerns about the effect of our increased usage of biofuels on our environment. Fairley prefaces by pointing out that one reason that biofuels are doing so well is because ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, oil has been harder to come by. Because of this, refiners are researching ways to meet the demands. Some are finding ways to process palm, soya, and canola oils, some are processing animal fat, and others are investing into bio-feedstocks. These expansions could further increase the demand for biofuels and decrease the demand for fossil fuels. However, 2022 reports show that biofuels may have the opposite result. After the 2022 US Renewable Fuel Standard required transportation fuel to contain a set amount of renewable fuel (like biofuels), all the diesel-fuel led tractors and fertilizers actually resulted in a net increase of the greenhouse gas effect. This is because the fertilizers used to produce biofuels release a byproduct of nitrogen oxide, which is nearly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Agronomists, crop geneticists, and carbon emission life-cycle scientists all agree that after the 2022 outcomes, we need to make “profound advances” in this field in order to make it sustainable.

Fairley’s article goes into depth both about why biofuels have become so popular, and why they are not currently helping our environment as much as the general public may think they are. I liked the explanation about the switch from oil to biofuel being caused by the war in Ukraine, and the article provided a lot of clarity by stating that nitrogen oxide is almost 300 times worse than carbon dioxide emissions. This explains why it may not be the best idea to switch from fossil fuels to biofuels, since farming with fertilizers releases nitrogen oxide. I think biofuels could be extremely helpful if they were produced organically. However, knowing that money is the first concern for manufacturers, it’s unrealistic that they will comply with regulations that force them to be totally organic because fertilizers would provide so much more income for them. So, I think it’s a long shot to try to solve our environmental problems with biofuels.

Valdmanis, R. (2022, December 01). Factbox: How a revamped U.S. biofuel program could help Electric Vehicle Makers. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/how-revamped-us-biofuel-program-could-help-electric-vehicle-makers-2022-12-01/

According to Reuters, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to create a new revenue stream for electric powered cars and trucks. This would be done by giving electric vehicle manufacturers access to the market for renewable fuel credits (RINs) by increasing the concentration of biofuels in gasoline and diesel. This proposal both reduces emissions and helps farmers, as they’d make profit from an increased demand for their goods. Mainly, it would help electric vehicle makers increase their revenue because they’d be able to generate and sell RINs to refiners after proving that they use clean energy. To prove this, the manufacturers would have contracts with power generators. Additionally, the market would be very dependable because oil refiners are required to accumulate billions of RINs per year, so they’d always be willing to buy them. The EPA predicts that this proposal could produce millions or even billions of dollars for electric car manufacturers, which would greatly help them make their automobiles be accessible to the general public.

This article shows a new side of the EPA’s new proposal – the economy of green energy. While it doesn’t discuss any of the usual issues with switching to biofuels, such as excess greenhouse gas emissions due to increased farming, it does go over how it would boost electric car manufacturers’ profits. This would be great for making the switch to cleaner transportation, so I’m glad that an increase in biofuels would support the transition.

Douglas, L. (2022, December 15). U.S. biofuels proposal would lift near-term greenhouse gas emissions, EPA says. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/us-biofuels-proposal-would-lift-near-term-greenhouse-gas-emissions-epa-says-2022-12-15/

According to Leah Douglas, the EPA predicts that their proposal to increase the concentration of biofuel in gasoline and diesel will lead to a short-term increase of greenhouse gas emissions for around three years. This is because creating new tilling for corn, soy, and other plants releases carbon from the soil. However, the EPA is confident that there will be significant reductions in the long term. They predict a net reduction of anywhere from 128 million to 1.16 billion metric tons of greenhouse gasses, which is equivalent to taking 28 to 250 million cars off the road for a year. According to the EPA’s analysis, the increased usage of ethanol could decrease greenhouse gasses by 99 million metric tons, but it could also increase them by as much as 13.8 million metric tons over 30 years.  Unfortunately, there would likely be a dramatic increase in climate disasters after the emissions that this plan would initially create, according to professors such as Valerie Thomas. 

Overall, scientists seem unsure of the implications of making this switch to biofuels. Different research teams contradict each other, and all of the predictions mentioned in this article admit that there is a huge variation in the results that switching to biofuels could have. Since some scientists confess that it could possibly lead to a long term increase in greenhouse gasses, I’m not sure this is a good idea. I’m even more doubtful of the EPA’s decision because of the three years where there would be a dramatic increase in carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere because of the increase in crops, since we are already experiencing so many storms due to climate change. A switch to biofuels, even if hugely beneficial in the long term, may push many endangered species to extinction.

Dlouhy, J., & Chipman, K. (2022, December 01). Biden proposes overhaul of US biofuel law to boost EV makers like Tesla. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-01/biden-proposes-overhaul-of-us-biofuel-law-to-boost-ev-makers-like-tesla

On December 1, 2022, The Biden Administration announced its plan to increase the use of renewable natural gas to power electric vehicles. While the 2005 Renewable Fuel Standard pushed for ethanol and biodiesel based alternatives for vehicles, the new proposal is focused on decarbonizing transportation in general. To achieve this, the EPA plans to increase the amount of biofuel in gasoline and diesel by as much as 22.68 billion gallons by 2025. In addition, officials aim to protect current oil refineries. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm emphasize “strengthening the economics of our critical energy infrastructure” and “support[ing] the union workers who operate these facilities” while taking on alternative fuel sources.

This article demonstrates a balance between maintaining a strong economy and taking care of our planet, by supporting the current systems while looking for replacements. The new proposal is more generalized than the previous one, which I think will likely lead to less results overall, due to a less specific goal. In addition, since producing biofuel also releases greenhouse gasses, uses chemical fertilizers, and leads to an increase in global food prices, it’s not necessarily going to benefit us much to use a higher concentration of it in gasoline and diesel. A better solution would also focus on decreasing overall gasoline and diesel usage.

Melvin, J. (2022, August 26). California sets sights on zero-emission vehicle future to chagrin of oil, biofuel groups. S&P Global Commodity Insights. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/energy-transition/082622-california-sets-sights-on-zero-emission-vehicle-future-to-chagrin-of-oil-biofuel-groups

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is proposing a ban on the sales of new gas-powered cars, including vehicles powered by biofuels, to be put into effect by 2035. Although California’s goal to become carbon neutral in the next decade or so is admirable, groups such as the American Petroleum Institute are against the push because it will “eliminate consumer choice, limit innovation and jeopardize progress towards our shared climate goals.” Others are frustrated because of the lack of flexibility in the marketplace and claim the goal is “one of the most expensive and inefficient ways to address emissions and climate change.”

This article sheds light on the downfalls of pushing for a sudden shift to zero carbon emissions, indicating that renewable energy such as biofuels are a better way to make the transition. The ban on gas-powered vehicles would eliminate the healthy competition among various technologies which push them to constantly develop better models, and electric transportation would be unaffordable for many Californians. 

USDA begins accepting applications for $100 million in Biofuel Infrastructure Grants. USDA. (2022, August 23). Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/08/23/usda-begins-accepting-applications-100-million-biofuel

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been working with the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to decrease the out-of-pocket expenses for businesses to transition their infrastructure and other equipment over to biofuel. In August 2022, the USDA began accepting applications for grants of $100 million to increase biofuel use in the United States. In June, the USDA also provided $700 million in relief to over 100 biofuel producers who had suffered because of the pandemic. In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration’s promise to lower gas prices for Americans would not be possible without biofuels.

This article discusses a concept very important to transitioning into a carbon-neutral society: grants. With governments and large organizations giving out money to be used specifically for modifying infrastructure to accommodate greener methods, the switch to green energy can finally be made. I’m very glad to see that organizations like the USDA are encouraging this change so much. However, based on other articles I’ve read about the problems with biofuels, I’m not sure if it’s wise to make this change without further investigation. 

Person, & Sanicola, L. (2022, January 22). California’s battle to cut emissions with biofuels burns in New Truck Engines. Reuters. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/californias-battle-cut-emissions-with-biofuels-burns-new-truck-engines-2022-01-20/

As California has one of the largest vehicle markets in the U.S., decreasing carbon emissions in transportation is a main priority. With California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in place, renewable diesel was considered the best alternative to petroleum-based diesel in trucks, until a recent study done by the California Air Resources Board revealed that this new alternative actually emitted more oxides of nitrogen into the atmosphere. State regulators are now looking into altering the LCFS because of the negative effects of biofuel.

This article is relevant to environmental science because it is about making changes to the LCFS agreement, which was put in place to reduce emissions. Now that more studies have been done revealing the harmful nature of biofuel, I agree with the article in that we must look into other alternatives and think carefully before launching into renewable diesel. I’m glad organizations that fact-check this kind of information exist, so we can make the necessary changes to our ways.

Aron, H. (2022, May 16). Conservationists sue to stop SoCal Biofuel Refinery expansion. Courthouse News Service. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://www.courthousenews.com/conservationists-sue-to-stop-socal-biofuel-refinery-expansion/

Due to dangers such as increased risk of fires, explosions, and flaring in close proximity to schools and neighborhoods, three environmental nonprofits sued the city of Paramount to stop the proposal for biodiesel refinery expansion. Instead of working on zero-emission alternatives, cities are considering transitioning to biofuel, which necessitates the growth of biofuel feedstock, leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of the area’s water supply. Though the federal government considers biodiesel as “carbon neutral,” biofuel is harmful to the atmosphere, as it releases cancer-causing toxins such as hexavalent chromium into the already highly polluted air of Paramount. 

After reading this article, I do not agree with the federal government’s decision to call biodiesel “carbon neutral,” as the negative environmental impact seems nearly as bad as traditional fossil fuels. Biofuel requires clearing land, which releases the previously stored carbon dioxide, and then growing and watering it, which is not a great use of California’s already limited water supply. As for the city of Paramount specifically, since it has one of the most polluted atmospheres of the entire country, it should not be adopting any methods of producing energy except for completely zero-emission ones, to try to lower the level of toxins its citizens breathe daily. 

Center for Biological Diversity. (2022, June 8). Lawsuits challenge Two massive bay area biofuel refinery projects. Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/lawsuits-challenge-two-massive-bay-area-biofuel-refinery-projects-2022-06-08/

In June 2022, Contra Costa County rushed its approval of two large biofuel refinery proposals in the Bay Area, obscuring the negative environmental impact they would have and ignoring the strong opposition from members of the community. When Communities for a Better Environment and the Center for Biological Diversity discovered all the additional pollution and traffic that could have troubled Bay Area residents for decades, they filed lawsuits against Contra Costa County. Joseph D. Petta, partner at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, says that the fossil fuel industry is too interested in money to make an environmentally beneficial biofuel refinery.

This article highlights the negative impacts that transitioning to greener methods can have if done incorrectly. Converting fossil fuel refineries to biofuel may seem environmentally beneficial at first, but taking a look at the increased vehicle pollution, carbon emissions, and health hazards that this specific production method has, makes it clear that it would do more harm than good. The approval process, though it failed in this instance, is there to weigh all the pros and cons and ensure that the biofuel transition process is done the modern, clean way and not the cheap, harmful way. After reading this article, I’m very glad Contra Costa County was sued over its hasty approval of two incredibly harmful proposals, and I hope biofuel refineries will continue replacing fossil fuels in a more eco-friendly manner.