Biofuels, as we know, require crops or organic matter to manufacture. However, many argue that biofuels will create competition for food needed to feed the 2 billion hungry people in underdeveloped countries on our planet.
Biofuels and the global need for food compete for scarce agricultural land. Competition would raise the price of food, making it even more difficult for families in poverty. So the question is, should we be using our crops as an energy source or for food? [9]
Social Issues
Ethical Issues
Legal Issues
Biofuels also face ethical issues primarily concerning the ecosystem and how much room implementing biofuels would take. Biofuels also stand to compete with food and water sources which breach our natural human rights.
Biofuels can also unequally benefit particular people. Those who stand to benefit from the increased demand for crops and people in poverty as mentioned in the primary social issue are farmers or companies that produce beiofuels .[9]
Since biofuels are a new area of technology, many legal standards have been put in place to control and enforce biofuels, such as the: Renewable Fuel Standard, Clean Air Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Clean Water Act, Plant Protection Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Endangered Species Act. [11]
These strict policies can cause the process of making biofuels very tedious and time-consuming. These are major issues when it comes to biofuel facilities that already struggle financially
Economic Issues
Sustainability and cost is another big issue.
Using high-tech equipment is critical in ensuring that the fuel is made properly and that it meets federal standards, but the equipment needed can be expensive [2]. Until biofuels become a large-scale production of energy, the costs of producing biofuels may outweigh the benefits.
Again, there is the concern that using crops will increase the global price of food and perpetuate poverty. However, the other forms of biofuel such as seaweed are abundant and would not raise economic concerns over poverty and world hunger.
