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Biofuels offer both benefits and challenges

28 Nov 2011

According to Think Africa Press, oil-based fuels remain a key contributor to global climate change, accounting for approximately 37% of total energy emissions. Of this, the transportation sector accounts for about 27% of total energy-based emissions. One of the alternatives to petroleum-based transportation fuels is biofuels - biomass-derived fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel which can be used as a partial or total substitute for fossil fuels.

However, contrary to beliefs, biofuels are not carbon neutral, reports Think Africa Press. The production of fertilizer, ploughing the fields, and many other aspects of the growing and processing of biofuels all use energy and hence result in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide. A number of social concerns have also been raised around African biofuel expansion. Direct foreign investment in huge plantations has, in some cases, resulted in the displacement of communities currently residing on the land because land users typically have weak tenure rights and can therefore easily be marginalised.

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