The Role of Biofuels in the Sustainability of the Environment

Abstract

The protection of the environment and the preservation of nature’s gifts have become a determining part of our social-economic life nowadays. The basic reason for this is, on the one part, the ever quicker utilization of natural resources, and on the other part the increasing amount of polluting materials emitted into the environment. As a result of all these, the quality of the soils has deteriorated, as has the purity of the waters above and sub-terrain; the natural habitats have decreased and have been damaged as well. In the wake of the environmental aspect’s moving to the forefront today, biofuels are playing an increased role and they may turn out to play an important role in the fight against global warming. The biofuels are plant or animal derived resources, and we differentiate between two main types: bioethanol and biodiesel. In this study, we wish to deal with utilization and the future of the plant derived biofuels in the EU. The governing principle of the EU pertaining to biofuel specifies a 5.75%, and its agreement dated March 2007 specifies a 10% component of biofuel component for 2020 within total fuel consumption. According to calculations in order to achieve a 10% organic component in engine fuel by 2020, the basic ingredients will have to be cultivated on 38% of cultivation soil area. The remaining area would be shared between plant cultivation for food and fodder purposes. It is obvious that if biofuel, food and fodder will battle over cultivation area, the smallness of the area could cause produce prices to rise, which in turn causes a significant rise in food prices. The study tries to find an answer to the question as to what extent the EU’s biofuel production and utilization, and as to how it can contribute to the sustainable development of our environment, as well as what the long term economic and social effects the production of biofuels may be.