Top Five Biofuel Crops
Maize / Corn (1/5)
Major cultivation regions: United States, Brazil, China
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 792 million tons
Sustainability:
- needs lots of fertilizers and water
- biofuel production increases prices for milk, meat, and corn products
- energy balance: low efficiency, might produce more CO2 than the use of bioethanol would prevent
(Photo: Reuters)
Image 1 of 5
Maize / Corn (1/5)
Major cultivation regions: United States, Brazil, China
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 792 million tons
Sustainability:
- needs lots of fertilizers and water
- biofuel production increases prices for milk, meat, and corn products
- energy balance: low efficiency, might produce more CO2 than the use of bioethanol would prevent
(Photo: Reuters)
Top Five Biofuel Crops
Rapeseed / Canola (2/5)
Major cultivation regions: European Union, China, Canada, India
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 48 million tons
Sustainability:
+ not a food crop, does not disturb food markets
- needs fertilizers, water, good soils, and subsidies
- energy balance: producing rapeseed biodiesel might produce more CO2 than consuming biodiesel prevents
(Photo: Reuters)
Image 2 of 5
Rapeseed / Canola (2/5)
Major cultivation regions: European Union, China, Canada, India
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 48 million tons
Sustainability:
+ not a food crop, does not disturb food markets
- needs fertilizers, water, good soils, and subsidies
- energy balance: producing rapeseed biodiesel might produce more CO2 than consuming biodiesel prevents
(Photo: Reuters)
Top Five Biofuel Crops
Sugar Cane (3/5)
Major cultivation region: Brazil, India, Europe, China
Worldwide production in 2007: 1.5 billion tons
Sustainability:
+ energy balance, high energy output
+ no subsidies needed
- expanding production endangers rainforests
(Photo: Reuters)
Image 3 of 5
Sugar Cane (3/5)
Major cultivation region: Brazil, India, Europe, China
Worldwide production in 2007: 1.5 billion tons
Sustainability:
+ energy balance, high energy output
+ no subsidies needed
- expanding production endangers rainforests
(Photo: Reuters)
Top Five Biofuel Crops
Palm Oil (4/5)
Major cultivation regions: Indonesia, Malaysia
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 41 million tons
Sustainability:
+ energy balance: relatively high energy output, biomass can be used to fuel extraction process
- staple food: biodiesel production increases prices
- clearing of rainforest to create new plantations
- often exported to Europe and United States: transport requires energy and creates emissions
(Photo: Reuters)
Image 4 of 5
Palm Oil (4/5)
Major cultivation regions: Indonesia, Malaysia
Worldwide production in 2007/08: 41 million tons
Sustainability:
+ energy balance: relatively high energy output, biomass can be used to fuel extraction process
- staple food: biodiesel production increases prices
- clearing of rainforest to create new plantations
- often exported to Europe and United States: transport requires energy and creates emissions
(Photo: Reuters)
Top Five Biofuel Crops
Jatropha (5/5)
Major cultivation regions: India, Myanmar, Mali, Philippines
Worldwide production in 2007/08: unrecorded
Sustainability:
+ sturdy, undemanding crop: needs little water or fertilizers
+ high yield, easy extraction process
- not easy to harvest, labor intensive
(Photo: Reuters)
Image 5 of 5
Jatropha (5/5)
Major cultivation regions: India, Myanmar, Mali, Philippines
Worldwide production in 2007/08: unrecorded
Sustainability:
+ sturdy, undemanding crop: needs little water or fertilizers
+ high yield, easy extraction process
- not easy to harvest, labor intensive
(Photo: Reuters)
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