Perspectives on Bioenergy and Biofuels - Sustainable Biotechnology: Sources of Renewable Energy - page 180

of petrochemical fuels with biofuels could make a significant contribution. This is
exemplified by the European directive EC 3003/30/EC which deals with the pro-
motion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport [2]. Within
this directive topics such as the objective of a 20% substitution of conventional
fuels by alternative fuels in the road transport sector by the year 2020 as in The
Commission Green Paper “Towards a European strategy for the security of energy
supply” and that the promotion of biofuels in keeping with sustainable farming and
forestry practices could create new opportunities for sustainable rural development.
Alternative and renewable sources of energy have received much attention and
there are a number of approaches: wind, hydro, solar nuclear and the use of biomass.
Here discussion will focus on the use of biomass however there are a number of
alternative methods in applying this as a source of “energy”. For example incinera-
tion (to generate heat and electricity), production of biodiesel and biomass to liquids
(BTL) by chemical and thermal based processes respectively and the production of
bioethanol and biogas using biotechnology. However the use of biomass for non-
food applications raises a number of important issues which need to be considered
for any conversion process.
1.1 Biomass for Non-food Applications and Possible
Adverse Effects
Biomass is widely cultivated for non-food applications: cotton for clothes, timber
for paper, building materials and furniture and tobacco for cigarettes. However the
production of biofuels has initiated much discussion with regards to food versus fuel
and land use.
1.2 Food Production and Price Increases
Recently the prices of foods such as rice, wheat and corn have seen a steep rise,
which has led to protests in countries including Haiti, Egypt, Cameroon, Ethiopia,
Yemen, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia.
According to the report “World agriculture: towards 2015/2030” (launched by
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)), there will be enough food for a
growing world population by 2030, but millions of people in developing countries
will remain hungry and many of the environmental problems caused by agricul-
ture will remain. This sentiment is echoed in the report “International Assessment
of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development” published in April 2008
which discusses how new agricultural technology has brought increases in food pro-
duction, but at a high environmental cost and has not really benefited the poor in
developing countries and suggests more focus is required on the needs of small
farms by improving income and providing a fair market for their products.
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, amongst others, have also
commented on some of the many causes of rising food prices, which includes bad