Sustainability aspects of biofuels
region due to the competition for land in other areas (Lapola et al.,2009).
4. Other sustainability concerns
4.1. Greenhouse gas (GHG) balance
One of the advantages for adopting biofuels is the offsetting of carbon in the production
process. Biofuels are carbon neutral when their combustion doesn't release any more carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere, than was sequestered by the plant through photosynthesis
(Rajagopal, Zilberman, 2007). Nevertheless, there are many uncertainties around the biofuels'
carbon neutrality. In the production process, biofuel require significant amounts of energy for
tillage, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation and for harvesting. Nitrogen oxide from fertilisers are
known to be particularly potent greenhouse gases with 300 times more potential than CO 2
and it has a harmful effect on the stratospheric ozone (Schaerlmann, Laurence, 2008). Also,
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