Greenhouse Effects : Search for Alternative
Bio-fuel has been considered one of the alternative sources of energy due to its being environmentally friendly aside from being renewable.
Image via Wikipedia
The world economies have been in search for best fuel alternative that could avert impending global warming. Deep reliance to fossil fuels has brought tremendous Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Hence, resort to alternative source of energy has become the major concern of many countries today’
Bio-fuel has been considered one of the alternative sources of energy due to its being environmentally friendly aside from being renewable. However, US experts warn that a move to bio-fuel production encourages deforestation.
In a study published in the US journal “Science”, researchers provided numerous analyses showing that resort to bio-fuel production could lead to the loss of most of the world’s natural forests as carbon caps tighten.
Well, that sounds confusing. Isn’t it? If bio-fuel could indirectly contribute to greenhouse problem, then the signal is imminently very alarming.
However, let us analyze it first using factual situations, citing the case of my country, Philippines, in particular. Huge amount of investment for bio-fuel production has been granted already by the national government, in cooperation with the private business sectors, to engage in massive fuel production. As experienced for several decades, the country’s economy has been at the mercy of oil producing countries in terms of the price of oil.
As an answer to this problem, bio-fuel production has been identified by the national government to this challenge and by way of example, sugar farms are to supply the needed materials for bio-fuel production without drastically abandoning the traditional sugar industry which has been, likewise, dependent to world market and US quota.
Bio-fuel production is a new venture and considered an economic alternative in the Philippines wherein the country could expect huge revenue in the future. The issue on deforestation could not directly be link to deforestation since the materials for fuel production will not be taken from the forest but to the already existing well-placed industry. On the contrary, bio-fuel production could encourage more sugarcane plantations to ensure supply. Hence, considered, irrelevant and a non-issue as far as the Philippines is concerned.
Another possible material identified, as potential source for bio-fuel production, is the flourishing coconut plantations. Eventually, bio-fuel production would encourage more activities in the coconut industry and many more available renewable sources of energy aside from sugarcane and coconut.
The fear for possible contribution to greenhouse problem is more of baseless fear and speculation than a reality. In fact, turning into bio-fuel production would encourage a stable agricultural and industrial cooperation and closer cooperation between producers and consumers in the country contrary to the existing energy scenario.
The choice depends upon the political will of every country.
Liked it
