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Report says biofuel puts developing countries' water at risk
June 12, 2007
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reprintIncreasing agricultural output for biofuels is further expected to put more pressure on water resources, says a new report from India-based research company RNCOS.
Countries struggling with the problem of inadequate water supplies would be particularly hard hit by increased demand for agricultural land predicts the report.
RNCOS, which publishes Biofuel Market Worldwide (2007-2010), cites a study conducted by the Sri Lankan International Water-Management Institute that found, at a global average, 1,000-4,000 liters of water is consumed by the biomass needed to produce one liter of biofuel.
The exact quantity of water that evaporates during the process depends on the feedstock and conversion technique used.
Some Parts of India and China have already reached critical water levels, the authors say, without any attempt to produce more quantities of biofuel.
RNCOS asserts that biofuel will not be environmentally sustainable until alternatives that require less water for feedstock are considered.
The report attempts to answer other key questions, such as opportunities that exist for biofuel in the global market, key drivers and other factors influencing the expansion of biofuels in the world, various government support programs and major biofuel projects.
Lower requirements for fresh water are one of the benefits touted by proponents of oil-rich algae as a feedstock for biodiesel in the future (for in introduction to biofuel-based algae, read the Cleantech Group's Biofuel from algae on horizon, say experts.)
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Comments
Global warming and biofuel water demand mismatch.
Submitted on June 12th, 2007 by InterestedReader"at a global average, 1,000-4,000 liters of water is consumed by the biomass needed to produce one liter of biofuel"
Global Warming right now is causing drought in many parts of the world. The extensive use of water needed for biofuel processing would only aggravate the situation. Higher temperatures mean more rapid evaporation of water used for agriculture lands and in reservoirs or lakes.
Extensive evaporation of water means that large amounts of energy become available from moist warm air in the atmosphere and may suddenly be released during storms and result in flooding. The evaporation-storm-flood cycle becomes more intensive and is not conducive to growing of crops. Although the same amount of water is evaporated as is returned to the earth, the intensity and length of the evaporation which is drying up the land and causing drought, as well as the brief fall of torrential rains does not help the farmer.
The result of the acceleration and intensification of the evaporation-condensation-precipitation cycle is that although increased amounts of water are participating in the cycle itself, more water will be required to sustain crops during the extended drought condition time presently being sustained by Global Warming higher temperatures.
Basically, the vapor phase of the water is emphasized at the expense of ground surface water.
The additional requirements of water for biofuel in countries already suffering from water depletion serve only to strain an already existing over-burdened water demand condition.
adrianakau2aol.com
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