As global industrial and technological development continues to grow at a pace the world has never experienced before, the need for alternate sources of energy goes up. One such energy source that continues to grow in popularity and demand is biofuel.
According to Darren Dohme, market statistics predict the global demand for biofuel energy sources to go up by a whopping 41 billion liters between the years 2021 and 2026.
However, although the production and global use of biofuel energy sources can do wonders for the climate crisis and depleting fossil fuel reserves, there are some negative consequences the world needs to simultaneously prepare itself for.
To learn more about the potential pros and cons resulting from the increasing demand for biofuels, keep reading below.
The Potential Pros and Cons of the Increase in Global Demand for Biofuels as Per Darren Dohme
Anytime a country invests its assets and resources into the production of locally sourced energy, its industrial growth is bound to go up.
However, while more machinery and industries can operate from the increased energy production, the source of the energy can have detrimental effects on the local population, as per Darren Dohme.
The same situation is observed when economies try to keep up with the increasing global demand for biofuels. However, what are the pros and cons of this decision?
Some of the potential pros and cons of the increase in demand for global fossil fuels are as follows:
Pros of the Increase in Global Demand for Biofuels
- Biofuel is a unique energy source that is produced from Biomass over a short period. Biomass includes animal waste, plant matter, and many staple crops such as wheat, sugarcane, and corn.
- Since Biomass is produced from all natural ingredients and renewable matter that is not at risk of depletion, the biofuel produced from these sources is a form of sustainable and renewable energy source.
- Hence, unlike fossil fuel reserves that continue to get used up, biofuel has the potential to power automobiles and industries till the end of time.
- Moreover, since the increased demand and production of biofuel have contributed to global industrial development, the worldwide dependency on fossil fuel mining and reserves has gone down.
- As a result, with the reduced demand for petroleum, the global petroleum prices are bound to go down.
- Furthermore, while fossil fuel reserves take millions of years to form, most types of biofuels such as biodiesel, methanol, biogas, etc., can be produced in a far shorter period.
- Hence, it makes more sense for the global economies to rely on biofuel that can be produced whenever it is required.
Cons of the Increase in Global Demand for Biofuels
- As mentioned above, the biomass needed to produce biofuel consists of some of the widely consumed grains and staple crops.
- Hence, when these crops are used up for the production of biofuel instead of food, a global food shortage becomes unavoidable.
- Not only does this shortage lead to deprivation, malnutrition, and poverty, but it can also result in an alarming increase in a country’s crime rates.
- Moreover, as more farmers get to enjoy the higher profits from the production and sale of biofuel and the increased crop prices caused by the global food shortage, Darren Dohme suggests they are further encouraged to use more parts of their land for biofuel production.
- This further worsens the food shortage crisis.
Final Thoughts by Darren Dohme
While the production of biofuel can help reduce the dependency on fossil fuel mining and contribute to controlling the global greenhouse gas emissions, it can also lead to a dangerous food shortage that can directly affect an average consumer’s physical as well as mental health.
Hence, according to Darren Dohme, economies should be mindful of the cons of amplified biofuel production so they can avoid the detrimental consequences that will, in many ways, damage the society and economy as a whole.