President Bush's bio-fuels pact in Brazil. Real energy & environment value or political masquerading ?

Question

President Bush entered into some kind of an agreement in Brazil to boost biofuels production across the Americas in order to make the region more indepenedent in energy sources. Biofuels like Ethanol have as many critics as advocates. It is not as efficient as other fuesl (less mpg). How eco-friendly is it really with its production process? What production levels can it achieve? And can it ever deliver any real independence? Is it wise to go top down with this decision while other promising technologies like Lithium Ion batteries and Hydrogen Fuel cells are working bottom up through the market?

Answer 1

Well the last time I looked Ethanol was a renewable source of fuel in part, is Hydrogen, or Lithium and you still have to burn fuel to recharge Batteries. Energy can't be creatded nor destroyed it can only be chanded from one form to another.
With that in mind the only true way to conserve energy is to not use it or use as much of it.
Now if you dont like nuke power then you could go around poking holes in the earths crust and use geo power, I wouldn't advise the later.
Short term ethanol will relive some of our needs but at some piont we as a nation will have to stop and get out and walk yes you got it walk!

Answer 2

Brazil has long lusted to go full speed ahead on using their agricultural output for energy. Some Brazilian State Governers can't seem to cut down the Amazon Forest fast enough in their feverish quest to create more farmland on which to plant food/fuel aka biofuels.
Brazil has many potential markets besides the U.S for their fuel fodder. Bush was smart to nail down some sort of pact with Brazil, because Brazil is the only country developing sufficient agricultural land mass so as to be able to supply out future biofuel energy needs.

Answer 3

I think his desire to boost biofuels production across the Americas is genuine, and this is one area where the US needs countries like Brazil as it is impossible for the US to grow enough grain to produce biofuel, and its climate cannot sustain massive sugar production.

However, there is a question as to the ecological benefit, and that is: how much land has to be cleared to produce the sugar, corn, etc., to produce the biofuels? "A lot" is the answer. Basically, the Brazilians are concerned that if the US had its way, it would fell every tree in that country, including the entire Amazon rainforest, to make way for sugar cane production to try to keep up with the US's enormous energy needs.

Answer 4

Brazil is the best in São Paulo!