German researchers are now calling into question the supposedly miraculous aspect of these fossil fuel alternatives
Biofuels mean less CO2 released into the atmosphere, right? Not necessarily! According to a recent study by researchers in Germany, published in Nature Climate Change, the opposite could actually be true.
Replacing diesel fuel with vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, or fermented products (beet, sugar, wheat) is an innovative method that has been popular for several years now. It is increasingly being tested around the world as a way of reducing CO2 emissions. But German researchers are now calling into question the supposedly miraculous aspect of these fossil fuel alternatives. Conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and published in the journal Nature of Climate Change, a new study points to a major problem: if fossil fuels are completely replaced by biofuels, the effect could prove counterproductive and even increase CO2 emissions.