Very few, if any, energy topics have engendered as much controversy over the past few years as biofuels. Experts of all stripes opine that biofuels either are an unqualified and unparalleled answer to our energy sustainability and security woes or a scourge that will starve the world’s poor and rapidly accelerate climate change. Amidst the polarization and rancor, responsible policy-makers, media, citizens, and companies or governments with fleets have had difficulty sorting out the issues and making sensible decisions.

I will say right up front that Clean Fuels Ohio has and continues to support development and use of biofuels. We believe that if handled correctly, biofuels can play a positive role – providing parts of an overall mix of energy sources for our motor vehicles while mitigating climate change and other environmental impacts. However, the imperatives to improve “air quality and health” and “reduce climate change” are explicitly stated in our mission. We also believe that biofuels can be destructive in many ways if poor choices of production methods are chosen or appropriate roles and scale are misunderstood.

The goal of this white paper is to explore selected controversial issues surrounding biofuels. Both advocates and opponents of biofuels make valid points, and both are guilty of exaggerations and fallacies.

I invite you to read “Doing Biofuels Right: Making Sense of the Great Biofuels Debate.” We hope that the paper contributes to thoughtful discussion and debate. The stakes are high. We believe that “doing biofuels right” is an essential part of an overall strategy to increase energy security, strengthen our economy and mitigate environmental damage.

(Short on time? Take a look at the Executive Summary.)