Are Biofuels green and better for the environment than other energy sources?

When you really think about it, any type of ethanol or Biofuel which you might consume for energy still requires burning carbon and releasing carbon dioxide – greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere.  It’s a little more sustainable because Biofuel can be produced by growing corn, plants, or algae, whereas Fossil Fuels can’t be renewed quickly.  Biofuels have advantages as a fuel type and also disadvantages to other more sustainable forms of energy production, i.e. Solar.

“First tops, then flops. That is one way of summing up the history of biofuels so far. A new study led by Empa gives an up-to-date picture of the ecobalance of various biofuels and their production processes. Only a few are overall more environmentally friendly than petrol.”

Source: EMPA Press Release:

http://www.empa.ch/plugin/template/empa/3/125597/—/l=2

http://www.empa.ch/plugin/template/empa/*/125606

Primary Source: http://www.empa.ch/plugin/template/empa/*/125527

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Harmful Algal Bloom – Green Algae

"Aerial of Scripps Pier taken from 450 meters (1,500 feet) during a Tetraselmis sp. bloom. This green flagellate is roughly 10 micrometers in size, and has been found in concentrations as dense as 15 million cells per liter of seawater. The foam became more prevalent at the end of July, though it has been observed off and on since the first week of July. Its patchy distribution makes it visible only at some beaches and the foam becomes more apparent in the afternoon when the wind and waves mix the surface waters. Tetraselmis has bloomed each summer since 2009 with blooms lasting from one week to several months. There are no documented health hazards with swimming or fishing in areas of Tetraselmis blooms."