Three articles recently on biofuels. A Washington Post op-ed does a pretty even-handed job of looking at the state of knowledge on biofuels--the good and the bad, such as food-fuel competition and the comparable efficiency of different sources of ethanol. Meanwhile, George Monbiot says to just dump them. And today, the SJR reports that farmers are planting more corn this year.
Meanwhile, this is all crucially interesting because on April 19, UIS is hosting a panel discussion on the future of renewable energy resources. One topic will definitely be biofuels. Moreover, David Pimentel of Cornell University is on the panel. Pimentel is a widely recognized expert on ethanol, who is also extremely skeptical of its net energy benefits. The panel is from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at Brookens Auditorium. Put it on your calendar.