Costs Of Biofuels

Two views on whether corn ethanol and, eventually, ethanol from cellulosic biomass will efficiently deliver national energy security. As part of its ongoing coverage of the biofuels story, C&EN has asked two prominent biofuels experts to square off in opposition to or in support of biofuels. David Pimentel, an entomologist and professor of agricultural sciences at Cornell University, has raised objections to biofuels since the early 1970s. A recognized authority on the subject, he believes biofuels' costs far outweigh their potential benefits. Taking the opposite view is Bruce E. Dale, a professor of chemical engineering and materials science and associate director of the Office of Biobased Technologies at Michigan State University. He also serves as editor-in-chief of Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefineries, a new Wiley journal. Dale argues that a fair analysis of biofuels reveals their value as a replacement for fossil fuels. He believes they should be an important contributor to energy security in the U.S. and one answer for reducing CO2 inputs into the atmosphere.