downtoearth-subscribe

Smart use of residues: exploring the factors affecting the sustainable extraction rate of agricultural residues for advanced biofuels

  • 01/05/2012
  • WWF

Advanced biofuels from crop wastes are a “cleaner and greener” alternative to fossil fuels and conventional biofuels, but more research is needed to specify how much waste can be sustainably used, according to WWF’s study “Smart Use of Residues”. Advanced biofuels produced from agricultural residues have a role to play in cutting our greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, and they need strong EU support. Ambitious EU action on advanced biofuels would also help relieve concerns over indirect land use change effects that increase greenhouse gas emissions and compete for productive land resources or with food production. Recent research states that through the sustainable use of agricultural residues it would be possible to replace around half of global gasoline consumption by 2030.