Are biofuels really better then gasoline?

A lot of people are raising a couple of concerns with bio-fuels. First, that a true comparision on the benefit of biofuels needs to take into account the fact that oil run machinery is used to harvest crops and create biofuels. Even if the machinery to create bio fuels is bio fueled, it supposedly takes more energy to create the fuel that the fuel produces. The second is that it's drastically raised the price of crops used for bio fuels and could result in big increases in food prices. There are other concerns but this are the major issues as I understand. In terms of a positive note, there is not additional CO2 put into the air (aside from what the plants originally took out of the air) and there is less particulate matter.

I have an issue with the first argument in that it assumes technology remains constant and we won't see greater efficiencies. I do believe that this country especially needs to be harnessing more solar and wind power, which we have an abundance of in the Western States and push biofuels until we can further perfect electrically powered vehicles.

Just my two cents.

I agree completely on cost increase on food these biofuels have caused.

Because corn is now worth more because it can be turned into fuel. it's price goes up, so the price of biofuel, corn and corn for meat all go up. and it is just a domino effect affected everything. Even if you don't eat meat or corn, your food prices will go up as well.

Since day 1 i've been supporting the idea that it takes more energy to make biofuel (except for brazil's surgarcane) then you get out of it.

MtnRescue - we agree here and I would add this.

Biofuels don't change much on the output of CO2. Hydrogen fuel cells do - output - O2 and water. Efficiency should be measured by what unintended consequences are a result of the use of the "biofuel" as well. Corn, as noted, just made corn farmers a lot of money but did little for the environment. Even sugar cane - if grown as has been the tradition - requires a ton of burning to get to the fields pumping tons of smoke and ash into the air - where is that value? Now we add to that - the reason it is so cheap to produce in SA is they don't have to pay the workers what US farm employees make - $0.10 per hour is less than $10 per hour last I checked. So the value? Again, not for me.

Nuclear makes a ton of sense for communities, Hydrogen fuel cells for cars makes a ton of sense for individuals. Cost is much lower in both cases. But for now - OIL is still the best product going and we should be drilling for more anywhere we can find it.