Food security and global security - IEEE

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José María Medina ReyBiofuels and food securitydiesel from oil with biofuel. As fuel demand is rising, this percentage would,in fact, be higher.However, the real situation is very different, depending on which countries areobserved, the type of biofuel produced, and what procedures and raw materialsare used. These differences are shown in Pfaumann’s (22) analysis on the UnitedStates and Brazil, the two largest bioethanol producers. In 2005, Brazil used 2.75million hectares to produce 16.5 billion litres of bioethanol, half the arable landgiven over to sugar cane, which accounted for 0.5% of the total cultivated farmlandin Brazil. This amount replaced almost half the petrol used. Nevertheless, for thesame amount of bioethanol but produced from maize, the United States neededalmost 6 million hectares or 15% of arable land given over to maize, accountingfor 3.5% of the total cultivated farmland. In spite of this heavier use of resources,the bioethanol produced only replaced a scant 2.5% of total petrol consumption.Estimates on the total potential for ethanol production from maize in the UnitedStates conclude that it will not be possible to increase maize-based ethanolbeyond substituting 15% of petrol consumption. Just by manufacturing secondgenerationcellulose ethanol more petrol could be replaced, perhaps up to 50%,by using raw materials produced in the United States.Only a small number of countries have the potential to reduce dependence on oilimports significantly. The amount of fossil fuel that can be replaced by locallyproduced biofuel will be very small in most countries. A useful example is biodieselmanufacture in Germany, the world’s largest producer. Even if the country wereto give 100% of its arable land over to cultivating rape and sunflowers to makebiodiesel, it would hardly meet 20% of the internal demand for the fuel (23) .211According to estimates shared by several analysts, in order to reach a mixof 10% bioethanol in petrol, the United States would have to use half theirmaize and 15% of arable land to make bioethanol (24) . In order for the EuropeanUnion to replace 10% of petrol and diesel from fossil sources with biofuelfrom their own raw materials, it would have to make available three-quarters ofits arable land for the purpose (25) . Industrialised countries, which are the largestconsumers of fuel, could not substitute significant amounts of fossil fuel withwhat they can cultivate; if they wish to reach the set goals, they would haveto import part of the biofuel or the raw materials needed to make it. However,Brazil could manage to replace 100% of petrol with bioethanol by using just1% to 1.5% of its arable land.(22)Pfaumann, Peter. Cited study.(23)This calculation is based on data supplied by Doornbosch and Steenblik in the OECDreport mentioned above.(24)In an article published in the Foreign Policy journal in January 2011, titled The great foodcrisis of 2011, Lester Brown stated that, in 2009, the United States earmarked 119 billiontons of cereals, i.e. almost 29% of total production, to manufacture bioethanol. In 2010, theUnited States used 35% of total maize production to make bioethanol.(25)Holtz-Giménez, Eric. Article published in Le Monde Diplomatique, June 2007.
José María Medina ReyBiofuels and food securityIn addition to the physical limitations in producing biofuels, when assessingthe contribution of each one to the energy supply and, therefore, its ability toreplace fossil fuel, the energy content of the biofuel, as well as that required tomake it, must be taken into account. This includes energy used in cultivating,harvesting and transporting the plants comprising the raw material formanufacturing the biofuel, in addition to that needed to process the biomass toobtain it, and for distribution. The expression «fossil energy balance» is used todescribe the proportion of energy content in biofuel and the energy from fossilfuel used throughout its production cycle. Thus, when saying that a specificbiofuel has a fossil energy balance of 1, it means that the energy from fossilfuel used to produce one litre of biofuel is equal to the energy it contains, andtherefore the biofuel provides no net gain or loss of energy. A fossil energybalance of 2 means that a litre of biofuel contains twice the amount of energyas required to make it.212The estimated fossil energy balance for biodiesel lies between 1 and 4 for thatmade from rape and soya. The estimated balances for palm oil are higher ataround 9. With bioethanol, the estimated balances range between less than2 for maize, and 2 to 8 for sugar cane. As stated previously, the good fossilenergy balance for bioethanol made from sugar cane does not only depend onthe productivity of the raw material, but also on the fact that waste from sugarcane biomass (bagasse) is used as an energy source.The estimated fossil energy balances for biofuels made from cellulose rawmaterials have an even wider range, showing the stage of development atwhich the technology stands, as well as the large variety of raw materials andproduction systems in place. However, it is interesting to note that, in somecases, the balances can be higher than 10.To conclude, the capacity to substitute petrol and diesel for biofuels would begreater if the most suitable crops for each zone were selected, to give goodyields (litres of biofuel per hectare) and a good energy balance. Even so, itis not feasible to think that, with current technology, a high percentage ofsubstitution can be obtained. According to estimates from the InternationalEnergy Agency, biofuels can be expected to meet 13% of fuel demand fortransport in 2050 (26) .■■Possible Environmental Benefits of BiofuelsIn spite of the fact that there are still difficulties in establishing firm, widespreadand binding commitments, these days almost no one disputes the need to takemeasures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are causing climate(26)International Energy Agency. Energy Technologies Perspectives, Paris: OECDPublications, 2006, Chapter 5, Road Transport Technologies and Fuels.
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Food security and globalsecuritySpa
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GENERAL CATALOGUE OF OFFICIAL PUBLI
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CONTENTSCONTENTSINTRODUCTIONSantos
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Santos Castro FernándezIntroductio
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CHAPTER ONETHE HUMAN RIGHT TO FOODA
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Julia Gifra and Susana BeltránThe
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María del Mar Hidalgo GarcíaThe i
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CHAPTER THREETHE ROLE OF WOMEN IN F
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José Esquinas AlcázarBiodiversity
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CHAPTER FIVETHE VOLATILITY OF THEAG
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José María SumpsiThe volatility o
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Page 215 and 216: INDEXINDEXPageCONTENTS.............
Page 217 and 218: From the 1990s to Present day: Sear
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Food security and global security - IEEE

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