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Decarbonizing Transport: What Role for Biofuels?

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The Palgrave Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy

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Abstract

Oil continues to power the world transport system. While other major consumers, such as electric power generation, tap a diverse range of primary energy sources, some of them renewable, there are as yet no widely accepted substitutes for petroleum in transportation. Currently produced biofuels are imperfect substitutes, and expanded production has led to growing concern over land use, environmental damage, and competition with food supplies. It remains far from certain that advanced biofuels made from non-food biomass, such as agricultural residues or genetically engineered algae, will prove sustainable once full account has been taken of all impacts. Much more innovation will be needed, and success cannot be guaranteed. Policymakers need, quite urgently, better understanding of long-term prospects for sustainable biofuels.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consultant, Avon, NC, USA

    John A. Alic

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  1. John A. Alic
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ghent Institute for International Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Thijs Van de Graaf

  2. University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

    Benjamin K. Sovacool

  3. Council on Energy, Environment and Water, New Delhi, India

    Arunabha Ghosh

  4. University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

    Florian Kern

  5. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

    Michael T. Klare

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Alic, J.A. (2016). Decarbonizing Transport: What Role for Biofuels?. In: Van de Graaf, T., Sovacool, B., Ghosh, A., Kern, F., Klare, M. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy. Palgrave Handbooks in IPE. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55631-8_16

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