Three articles about biofuels: chicken fat, sugar cane, and corn

Number one: NASA has determined that fuel derived from chicken fat is nice and clean and low in emissions.


"In late March and early April 2011, a team at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California tested renewable biofuel made from chicken and beef tallow in one of the four engines of a DC-8 airplane."

"The experiment's chief scientist, Bruce Anderson of NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, said that in the engine that burned the biofuel, black carbon emissions were 90 percent less at idle and almost 60 percent less at takeoff thrust. Anderson added that the biofuel also produced much lower sulfate, organic aerosol, and hazardous emissions than the standard jet fuel."

Plus, because chickens are making their organic carbon out of feed, that has grown by taking CO2 out of the atmosphere, this counts as a near-zero-carbon fuel.

Number two: growing corn is good for both agriculture and biofuel

There's been a debate about whether or not corn is a good biofuel feedstock. I understand that if corn is just grown to be a feedstock, the amount of fuel used to grow it just about balances the amount of fuel produced, so it's not that effective. But if you do both (and that's what this report says to do), then it makes more sense.

Grain Farmers of Ontario report

"According to the study by Dr. Terry Daynard and KD Communications, by including an average of just 5% ethanol in regular gasoline, Canadians are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 million tonnes annually while saving money. Five percent ethanol blending has reduced annual family gasoline expenditures by more than $100 per year. Ethanol is also credited with replacing hazardous compounds in gasoline used for octane enhancement and increasing engine efficiency.

There is also good news for the world’s food supply. Food demands around the world are growing by 1.1% per year according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Fortunately, the Grain Farmers of Ontario study reveals that global grain production has increased by 1.5% per year over the past 20 years. With increasing resources now being directed to agricultural development in some of the world’s hungriest countries, especially in Africa, there is optimism that we will continue to grow the crops and increase production where the need is greatest."

Number three: sugar cane is good for climate in two ways

Sugar cane is an excellent feedstock for biofuel (as the Brazilians attest), and just growing it also has other environmental benefits.

Sugar cane cools climate, study finds


"As [Carnegie Institution scientist Scott]Loarie explained: "We found that shifting from natural vegetation to crops or pasture results in local warming because the plants give off less beneficial water. But the bamboo-like sugarcane is more reflective and gives off more water -- much like the natural vegetation. It's a potential win-win for the climate -- using sugarcane to power vehicles reduces carbon emissions, while growing it lowers the local air temperature."

The scientists found that converting from natural vegetation to crop/pasture on average warmed the cerrado by 2.79 °F (1.55 °C), but that subsequent conversion to sugarcane, on average, cooled the surrounding air by 1.67 °F (0.93°C).

The researchers emphasize that the beneficial effects are contingent on the fact sugarcane is grown on areas previously occupied by crops or pastureland, and not in areas converted from natural vegetation. It is also important that other crops and pastureland do not move to natural vegetation areas, which would contribute to deforestation."