| General information |
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| Beneficial Biofuels--The Food, Energy, and Environmental Trilemma |
Overview article in the July 2009 issue of Science Experts. Abstract: "
Recent analyses of the energy and greenhouse-gas performance of alternative biofuels have ignited a controversy that may be best resolved by applying two simple principles. In a world seeking solutions to its energy, environmental, and food challenges, society cannot afford to miss out on the global greenhouse-gas emission reductions and the local environmental and societal benefits when biofuels are done right. However, society also cannot accept the undesirable impacts of biofuels done wrong." |
Potential Land Use Implications of a Global Biofuels Industry |
Paper from a December 2007 issue of the Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organizations.
Abstract: "In this paper we investigate the potential production and implications of a global biofuels industry. We develop alternative approaches to consistently introduce land as an economic factor input and in physical terms into a computable general equilibrium framework. The approach allows us to parameterize biomass production consistent with agro-engineering information on yields and a "second generation" cellulosic biomass conversion technology. We explicitly model land conversion from natural areas to agricultural use in two different ways: in one approach we introduced a land supply elasticity based on observed land supply responses and in the other approach we considered only the direct cost of conversion." |
| Thirst for Corn: What 2007 Plantings Could Mean for the Environment |
From the World Resources Insititute, June 2007. "This study explores the potential environmental impacts of this surge in corn production (due to ethanol production,) and suggests some policy measures to help make agriculture in general more robust to increased demands for energy production. |
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Biodiversity & ecosystems |
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| Biofuel Feedstocks: The Risk of Future Invasions. |
A November 2007 report from CAST. Excerpt: "Unfortunately, several of the candidate biofuel feedstock species being considered for commercial production in the United States are invasive pests (i.e., nonnative species causing economic or environmental damage) in other regions where they have been introduced. Their invasiveness is attributed mainly to their life history characteristics and rapid growth rates. The combination of being nonnative
and possessing weedy characteristics, along with their potential scale of cultivation, presents a significant risk that biofuel crops could escape cultivation and potentially damage surrounding ecosystems." |
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| Wildlife habitat |
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| Soil erosion |
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| America's grasslands vanishing amid agricultural boom |
March 29, 2008 article from USA Today, Abstract: " The USA's open plains and prairies are threatened by soaring grain prices that have increased their value as cropland. Grain prices have been driven up by a seemingly insatiable worldwide appetite for food and by federal energy policies promoting corn-based ethanol that are working at cross purposes with government programs designed to conserve open spaces." |
| The lowdown on topsoil: It's disappearing |
January 2008 article in a Seattle newspaper about sustainable farming. Abstract: "While many worry about the potential consequences of atmospheric warming, a few experts are trying to call attention to another global crisis quietly taking place under our feet. Call it the thin brown line. Dirt. On average, the planet is covered with little more than 3 feet of topsoil -- the shallow skin of nutrient-rich matter that sustains most of our food and appears to play a critical role in supporting life on Earth." |
Soil health |
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Can biofuels be sustainable: New research published in Agronomy Journal assesses the sustainability of corn stover as a biofuel crop |
Press Release from Madison for the research report from June 2008 titled: Soil Carbon Levels in Irrigated Western Corn Belt Rotations. Abstract: " With oil prices skyrocketing, the search is on for efficient and sustainable biofuels. Research published this month in Agronomy Journal examines one biofuel crop contender: corn stover. Corn stover is made up of the leaves and stalks of corn plants that are left in the field after harvesting the edible corn grain. Corn stover could supply as much as 25% of the biofuel crop needed by 2030. When corn stover is not harvested as a biofuel crop, it can be left on the fields to restore vital nutrients to the soil. Full-scale harvesting of corn stover may deplete the soil.Researchers measured the soil organic carbon levels and residue production over 14 years in fields planted continuously with corn, continuously with soybeans, and with a rotation of corn and soybeans. Organic carbon rates were found to stay steady or even increase in all three field types. |
| Converting CRP Land to Corn: Minimizing Soil Loss |
 With the increased demand for ethanol, there's concern that CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) land may be pressed into corn production, leaving it vulnerable to soil erosion. Find out how to minimize soil disturbance and maximize residue cover to reduce potential soil loss. By John Panuska et al. Purchase multiple copies. |
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| Water quality & supply |
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| Review of environmental effects and treatment of runoff from storage and handling of wood |
Review paper published in the September 2008 issue of Bioresource Technology, Abstract:
"This review paper summarizes the environmental effects of runoff from wood handling sites including log yards. The characteristics of site runoff and the corresponding effects on the receiving watercourses are presented for worldwide case studies, highlighting the urgent need to address the water pollution problem associated with the wood industry. The principal environmental problem of runoff is usually the high concentration of organic substances originating from the wood and bark, some of which are toxic to aquatic life. The toxicity of the runoff varies greatly, and depends on the species of tree stored, the amount of water the wood has been in contact with and the degree of runoff treatment." This article is available only through ScienceDirect online, which has a registration fee of 31.50 USD. |
Biomass developer agrees to shutdown plan |
February 20, 2008 article from The Republican Newsroom, an example of why water supply and quality is a factor to consider during biomass project design and operation. Some real world projects are being impacted. |
Pollution Is Called a Byproduct of a ‘Clean’ Fuel |
March 11, 2008 article from the New York Times, Summary: The story of Black Warrior River in Alabama, which was polluted by a biodiesel plant, which was making "earth-friendly fuel" out of soybean oil. Also contains information about Iowa, the nations leading biodiesel producer. |
| Water Implications of Biofuels
Production in the United States |
Report in Brief from the National Academies Press, October 2007. (Full report available for sale.) "National interests in greater energy independence, concurrent with favorable market
forces, have driven increased production of corn-based ethanol in the United States and
research into the next generation of biofuels. The trend is changing the national agricultural
landscape and has raised concerns about potential impacts on the nation’s water resources.
This report examines some of the key issues and identifies opportunities for shaping policies
that help to protect water resources." |
| Air quality |
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| Other Issues |
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| Diverse Landscapes Better; Policymakers Urged to Think Broadly about Biofuel Crops |
A December 2008 article from the Wisconsin Ag Connection about research regarding how the balance of pests interested in crops needs to be considered when dealing with plotting out crop proportions. |
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