Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels
The world is witnessing a sudden growth in production of biofuels, especially those suited for replacing oil like ethanol and biodiesel. This paper synthesizes what the environmental, economic, and policy literature predicts about the possible effe...
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/09/8230679/review-environmental-economic-policy-aspects-biofuels http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7337 |
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okr-10986-7337 |
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| recordtype |
oai_dc |
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Digital Repository |
| institution_category |
Foreign Institution |
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Digital Repositories |
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World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
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World Bank |
| language |
English |
| topic |
ABSENCE OF OXYGEN ACCESS TO ENERGY AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES AGRICULTURAL WASTES AIR POLLUTANTS ALFALFA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FUEL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ANHYDROUS ETHANOL ANIMAL DUNG ANIMAL POWER ANIMAL WASTE ANIMAL WASTES APPROACH ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AVAILABILITY BARRELS OF OIL BIOGAS BIOMASS BIOMASS ENERGY BIOMASS ENERGY USE BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK BIOMASS GASIFICATION BIOMASS PRODUCTION BOILERS CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS CARBON EMISSIONS CARBON INTENSITY CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON NEUTRAL CARBON OFFSET CARBON SEQUESTRATION CELLULOSE CELLULOSIC BIOMASS CELLULOSIC CONVERSION CELLULOSIC ETHANOL CELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCK CHEMICAL CONVERSION CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES CHEMICAL PROCESSES CHEMICAL PROPERTIES CLEANER ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE COAL COGENERATION COMBUSTION COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS COMBUSTION OF BIOMASS COMBUSTION OF LIGNIN CONSUMPTION OF PETROLEUM CONVERSION EFFICIENCY CONVERSION FACILITY CONVERSION OF BIOMASS CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO FUELS CONVERSION OF CELLULOSE TO ETHANOL CONVERSION OF WOOD CONVERSION OF WOOD TO ETHANOL CONVERSION PROCESS COOK STOVES CORN ETHANOL CORN GLUTEN CORN GLUTEN MEAL CORN GRAIN CORN OIL CORN PRICES CORN STOVER CRUDE OIL CRUDE OIL PRICE CRUDE OIL USE DEMAND FOR GASOLINE DIESEL DIESEL ENGINE DIESEL ENGINES DIESEL GENERATORS DIESEL USE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY ELECTRIC GRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY FROM BIOMASS ELECTRICITY GENERATION ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION ELECTRICITY SUPPLY EMISSION EMISSIONS ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY CONSUMPTION ENERGY CONTENT OF ETHANOL ENERGY CROP PRODUCTION ENERGY CROPS ENERGY INPUT ENERGY NEEDS ENERGY PLANTATIONS ENERGY PRICES ENERGY PRODUCTION ENERGY REQUIREMENTS ENERGY SOURCE ENERGY SOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL ETHANOL FROM CORN ETHANOL FUEL ETHANOL PLANT ETHANOL PRICES ETHANOL PRODUCTION ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CORN FEEDSTOCK FOSSIL FOSSIL ENERGY FOSSIL FUEL FOSSIL FUEL USE FOSSIL FUELS FUEL FUEL CELL FUEL CELL VEHICLES FUEL CELLS FUEL CONSUMPTION FUEL DEMAND FUEL OIL FUEL PRODUCTION FUEL USE GAS TURBINES GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS GASIFICATION PROCESSES GASOLINE GASOLINE CONSUMPTION GASOLINE DEMAND GASOLINE PRICE GASOLINE USE GENERATION GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY GLOBAL ENERGY SUPPLY GREENHOUSE GAS GRID ELECTRICITY HEAT HEMICELLULOSE HIGH LIPID CONTENT HYDROGEN HYDROGEN SULFIDE HYDROPOWER IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPURITIES INTERNAL COMBUSTION KEROSENE KILOWATT HOUR LIGNIN LIQUID FUELS LIQUID HYDROCARBONS MANURE METHANE MODERN FUELS NATURAL GAS NATURAL GAS FEEDSTOCK NATURAL GAS PRICES NITROGEN NONRENEWABLE ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY OIL OIL EQUIVALENT OIL IMPORTS OIL PRICES OIL SUPPLY OIL USE OILS OPEN BURNING OPEN-FIELD BURNING ORGANIC CARBON ORGANIC MATERIAL OXYGEN PARTICULATE PARTICULATE MATTER PARTICULATES PETROLEUM PETROLEUM CONSUMPTION PETROLEUM DIESEL PETROLEUM GAS PHOSPHORUS PHOTOSYNTHESIS POLLUTANTS POLLUTION POTASSIUM POWER PLANT POWER PLANTS PRICE OF OIL PRIMARY ENERGY PRIMARY ENERGY SUPPLY PRIMARY SOURCE OF ENERGY PROCESS HEAT PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS PYROLYSIS QUANTITY OF FUEL RAW BIOMASS RAW MATERIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY RENEWABLE ENERGY USE RENEWABLE SOURCE RENEWABLE SOURCES RURAL ELECTRIFICATION RURAL ENERGY SOLAR ENERGY SOURCE OF ETHANOL SPACE HEATING SUGARCANE SUGARCANE ETHANOL SUGARCANE MOLASSES SUPPLY CURVE SUPPLY CURVE FOR BIOMASS SUPPLY OF BIOMASS SURPLUS BAGASSE SYNTHESIS GAS THERMAL UNIT TIDAL ENERGY TRADITIONAL BIOMASS TRANSPORTATION FUEL UTILIZATION OF BIOMASS VEHICLES WIND WOOD CHIPS |
| spellingShingle |
ABSENCE OF OXYGEN ACCESS TO ENERGY AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES AGRICULTURAL WASTES AIR POLLUTANTS ALFALFA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FUEL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ANHYDROUS ETHANOL ANIMAL DUNG ANIMAL POWER ANIMAL WASTE ANIMAL WASTES APPROACH ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AVAILABILITY BARRELS OF OIL BIOGAS BIOMASS BIOMASS ENERGY BIOMASS ENERGY USE BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK BIOMASS GASIFICATION BIOMASS PRODUCTION BOILERS CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS CARBON EMISSIONS CARBON INTENSITY CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON NEUTRAL CARBON OFFSET CARBON SEQUESTRATION CELLULOSE CELLULOSIC BIOMASS CELLULOSIC CONVERSION CELLULOSIC ETHANOL CELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCK CHEMICAL CONVERSION CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES CHEMICAL PROCESSES CHEMICAL PROPERTIES CLEANER ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE COAL COGENERATION COMBUSTION COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS COMBUSTION OF BIOMASS COMBUSTION OF LIGNIN CONSUMPTION OF PETROLEUM CONVERSION EFFICIENCY CONVERSION FACILITY CONVERSION OF BIOMASS CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO FUELS CONVERSION OF CELLULOSE TO ETHANOL CONVERSION OF WOOD CONVERSION OF WOOD TO ETHANOL CONVERSION PROCESS COOK STOVES CORN ETHANOL CORN GLUTEN CORN GLUTEN MEAL CORN GRAIN CORN OIL CORN PRICES CORN STOVER CRUDE OIL CRUDE OIL PRICE CRUDE OIL USE DEMAND FOR GASOLINE DIESEL DIESEL ENGINE DIESEL ENGINES DIESEL GENERATORS DIESEL USE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY ELECTRIC GRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY FROM BIOMASS ELECTRICITY GENERATION ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION ELECTRICITY SUPPLY EMISSION EMISSIONS ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY CONSUMPTION ENERGY CONTENT OF ETHANOL ENERGY CROP PRODUCTION ENERGY CROPS ENERGY INPUT ENERGY NEEDS ENERGY PLANTATIONS ENERGY PRICES ENERGY PRODUCTION ENERGY REQUIREMENTS ENERGY SOURCE ENERGY SOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL ETHANOL FROM CORN ETHANOL FUEL ETHANOL PLANT ETHANOL PRICES ETHANOL PRODUCTION ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CORN FEEDSTOCK FOSSIL FOSSIL ENERGY FOSSIL FUEL FOSSIL FUEL USE FOSSIL FUELS FUEL FUEL CELL FUEL CELL VEHICLES FUEL CELLS FUEL CONSUMPTION FUEL DEMAND FUEL OIL FUEL PRODUCTION FUEL USE GAS TURBINES GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS GASIFICATION PROCESSES GASOLINE GASOLINE CONSUMPTION GASOLINE DEMAND GASOLINE PRICE GASOLINE USE GENERATION GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY GLOBAL ENERGY SUPPLY GREENHOUSE GAS GRID ELECTRICITY HEAT HEMICELLULOSE HIGH LIPID CONTENT HYDROGEN HYDROGEN SULFIDE HYDROPOWER IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPURITIES INTERNAL COMBUSTION KEROSENE KILOWATT HOUR LIGNIN LIQUID FUELS LIQUID HYDROCARBONS MANURE METHANE MODERN FUELS NATURAL GAS NATURAL GAS FEEDSTOCK NATURAL GAS PRICES NITROGEN NONRENEWABLE ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY OIL OIL EQUIVALENT OIL IMPORTS OIL PRICES OIL SUPPLY OIL USE OILS OPEN BURNING OPEN-FIELD BURNING ORGANIC CARBON ORGANIC MATERIAL OXYGEN PARTICULATE PARTICULATE MATTER PARTICULATES PETROLEUM PETROLEUM CONSUMPTION PETROLEUM DIESEL PETROLEUM GAS PHOSPHORUS PHOTOSYNTHESIS POLLUTANTS POLLUTION POTASSIUM POWER PLANT POWER PLANTS PRICE OF OIL PRIMARY ENERGY PRIMARY ENERGY SUPPLY PRIMARY SOURCE OF ENERGY PROCESS HEAT PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS PYROLYSIS QUANTITY OF FUEL RAW BIOMASS RAW MATERIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY RENEWABLE ENERGY USE RENEWABLE SOURCE RENEWABLE SOURCES RURAL ELECTRIFICATION RURAL ENERGY SOLAR ENERGY SOURCE OF ETHANOL SPACE HEATING SUGARCANE SUGARCANE ETHANOL SUGARCANE MOLASSES SUPPLY CURVE SUPPLY CURVE FOR BIOMASS SUPPLY OF BIOMASS SURPLUS BAGASSE SYNTHESIS GAS THERMAL UNIT TIDAL ENERGY TRADITIONAL BIOMASS TRANSPORTATION FUEL UTILIZATION OF BIOMASS VEHICLES WIND WOOD CHIPS Rajagopal, Deepak Zilberman, David Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| relation |
Policy Research Working Paper; No. 4341 |
| description |
The world is witnessing a sudden growth
in production of biofuels, especially those suited for
replacing oil like ethanol and biodiesel. This paper
synthesizes what the environmental, economic, and policy
literature predicts about the possible effects of these
types of biofuels. Another motivation is to identify gaps in
understanding and recommend areas for future work. The
analysis finds three key conclusions. First, the current
generation of biofuels, which is derived from food crops, is
intensive in land, water, energy, and chemical inputs.
Second, the environmental literature is dominated by a
discussion of net carbon offset and net energy gain, while
indicators relating to impact on human health, soil quality,
biodiversity, water depletion, etc., have received much less
attention. Third, there is a fast expanding economic and
policy literature that analyzes the various effects of
biofuels from both micro and macro perspectives, but there
are several gaps. A bewildering array of policies -
including energy, transportation, agricultural, trade, and
environmental policies - is influencing the evolution of
biofuels. But the policies and the level of subsidies do
not reflect the marginal impact on welfare or the
environment. In summary, all biofuels are not created equal.
They exhibit considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity
in production. The impact of biofuels will also be
heterogeneous, creating winners and losers. The findings of
the paper suggest the importance of the role biomass plays
in rural areas of developing countries. Furthermore, the use
of biomass for producing fuel for cars can affect access to
energy and fodder and not just access to food. |
| format |
Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper |
| author |
Rajagopal, Deepak Zilberman, David |
| author_facet |
Rajagopal, Deepak Zilberman, David |
| author_sort |
Rajagopal, Deepak |
| title |
Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| title_short |
Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| title_full |
Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| title_fullStr |
Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels |
| title_sort |
review of environmental, economic and policy aspects of biofuels |
| publisher |
World Bank, Washington, DC |
| publishDate |
2012 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/09/8230679/review-environmental-economic-policy-aspects-biofuels http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7337 |
| _version_ |
1764402352267198464 |
| spelling |
okr-10986-73372021-04-23T14:02:34Z Review of Environmental, Economic and Policy Aspects of Biofuels Rajagopal, Deepak Zilberman, David ABSENCE OF OXYGEN ACCESS TO ENERGY AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES AGRICULTURAL WASTES AIR POLLUTANTS ALFALFA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FUEL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ANHYDROUS ETHANOL ANIMAL DUNG ANIMAL POWER ANIMAL WASTE ANIMAL WASTES APPROACH ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AVAILABILITY BARRELS OF OIL BIOGAS BIOMASS BIOMASS ENERGY BIOMASS ENERGY USE BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK BIOMASS GASIFICATION BIOMASS PRODUCTION BOILERS CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS CARBON EMISSIONS CARBON INTENSITY CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON NEUTRAL CARBON OFFSET CARBON SEQUESTRATION CELLULOSE CELLULOSIC BIOMASS CELLULOSIC CONVERSION CELLULOSIC ETHANOL CELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCK CHEMICAL CONVERSION CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES CHEMICAL PROCESSES CHEMICAL PROPERTIES CLEANER ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE COAL COGENERATION COMBUSTION COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS COMBUSTION OF BIOMASS COMBUSTION OF LIGNIN CONSUMPTION OF PETROLEUM CONVERSION EFFICIENCY CONVERSION FACILITY CONVERSION OF BIOMASS CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO FUELS CONVERSION OF CELLULOSE TO ETHANOL CONVERSION OF WOOD CONVERSION OF WOOD TO ETHANOL CONVERSION PROCESS COOK STOVES CORN ETHANOL CORN GLUTEN CORN GLUTEN MEAL CORN GRAIN CORN OIL CORN PRICES CORN STOVER CRUDE OIL CRUDE OIL PRICE CRUDE OIL USE DEMAND FOR GASOLINE DIESEL DIESEL ENGINE DIESEL ENGINES DIESEL GENERATORS DIESEL USE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY ELECTRIC GRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY FROM BIOMASS ELECTRICITY GENERATION ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION ELECTRICITY SUPPLY EMISSION EMISSIONS ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY CONSUMPTION ENERGY CONTENT OF ETHANOL ENERGY CROP PRODUCTION ENERGY CROPS ENERGY INPUT ENERGY NEEDS ENERGY PLANTATIONS ENERGY PRICES ENERGY PRODUCTION ENERGY REQUIREMENTS ENERGY SOURCE ENERGY SOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL ETHANOL FROM CORN ETHANOL FUEL ETHANOL PLANT ETHANOL PRICES ETHANOL PRODUCTION ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CORN FEEDSTOCK FOSSIL FOSSIL ENERGY FOSSIL FUEL FOSSIL FUEL USE FOSSIL FUELS FUEL FUEL CELL FUEL CELL VEHICLES FUEL CELLS FUEL CONSUMPTION FUEL DEMAND FUEL OIL FUEL PRODUCTION FUEL USE GAS TURBINES GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS GASIFICATION PROCESSES GASOLINE GASOLINE CONSUMPTION GASOLINE DEMAND GASOLINE PRICE GASOLINE USE GENERATION GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY GLOBAL ENERGY SUPPLY GREENHOUSE GAS GRID ELECTRICITY HEAT HEMICELLULOSE HIGH LIPID CONTENT HYDROGEN HYDROGEN SULFIDE HYDROPOWER IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPURITIES INTERNAL COMBUSTION KEROSENE KILOWATT HOUR LIGNIN LIQUID FUELS LIQUID HYDROCARBONS MANURE METHANE MODERN FUELS NATURAL GAS NATURAL GAS FEEDSTOCK NATURAL GAS PRICES NITROGEN NONRENEWABLE ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY OIL OIL EQUIVALENT OIL IMPORTS OIL PRICES OIL SUPPLY OIL USE OILS OPEN BURNING OPEN-FIELD BURNING ORGANIC CARBON ORGANIC MATERIAL OXYGEN PARTICULATE PARTICULATE MATTER PARTICULATES PETROLEUM PETROLEUM CONSUMPTION PETROLEUM DIESEL PETROLEUM GAS PHOSPHORUS PHOTOSYNTHESIS POLLUTANTS POLLUTION POTASSIUM POWER PLANT POWER PLANTS PRICE OF OIL PRIMARY ENERGY PRIMARY ENERGY SUPPLY PRIMARY SOURCE OF ENERGY PROCESS HEAT PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS PYROLYSIS QUANTITY OF FUEL RAW BIOMASS RAW MATERIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY RENEWABLE ENERGY USE RENEWABLE SOURCE RENEWABLE SOURCES RURAL ELECTRIFICATION RURAL ENERGY SOLAR ENERGY SOURCE OF ETHANOL SPACE HEATING SUGARCANE SUGARCANE ETHANOL SUGARCANE MOLASSES SUPPLY CURVE SUPPLY CURVE FOR BIOMASS SUPPLY OF BIOMASS SURPLUS BAGASSE SYNTHESIS GAS THERMAL UNIT TIDAL ENERGY TRADITIONAL BIOMASS TRANSPORTATION FUEL UTILIZATION OF BIOMASS VEHICLES WIND WOOD CHIPS The world is witnessing a sudden growth in production of biofuels, especially those suited for replacing oil like ethanol and biodiesel. This paper synthesizes what the environmental, economic, and policy literature predicts about the possible effects of these types of biofuels. Another motivation is to identify gaps in understanding and recommend areas for future work. The analysis finds three key conclusions. First, the current generation of biofuels, which is derived from food crops, is intensive in land, water, energy, and chemical inputs. Second, the environmental literature is dominated by a discussion of net carbon offset and net energy gain, while indicators relating to impact on human health, soil quality, biodiversity, water depletion, etc., have received much less attention. Third, there is a fast expanding economic and policy literature that analyzes the various effects of biofuels from both micro and macro perspectives, but there are several gaps. A bewildering array of policies - including energy, transportation, agricultural, trade, and environmental policies - is influencing the evolution of biofuels. But the policies and the level of subsidies do not reflect the marginal impact on welfare or the environment. In summary, all biofuels are not created equal. They exhibit considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity in production. The impact of biofuels will also be heterogeneous, creating winners and losers. The findings of the paper suggest the importance of the role biomass plays in rural areas of developing countries. Furthermore, the use of biomass for producing fuel for cars can affect access to energy and fodder and not just access to food. 2012-06-06T20:50:57Z 2012-06-06T20:50:57Z 2007-09 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/09/8230679/review-environmental-economic-policy-aspects-biofuels http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7337 English Policy Research Working Paper; No. 4341 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Publications & Research |