Today in Biofuels Opinion: “DOE awarded about $3.25 million aimed at “educational projects”…$1.6 million, went to a coalition of industry groups

From the New York Times: “DOE awarded about $3.25 million aimed at “educational projects” to increase “awareness of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles.” $1.6 million, went to a coalition of industry groups, the Alternative Fuel Trade Alliance. One of its members, the Renewable Fuels Association, is a trade group that lobbies for ethanol subsidies, although the group said the grants would go only to marketing, not lobbying. Other organizations in the alliance are nonprofits closely allied with lobbying trade groups: the National Biodiesel Foundation, whose executive director is an official of a biodiesel lobbying group; and the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation, a sister organization of the natural gas trade group.”

From Examiner.com: “Biofuels are a complicated issue and seen to draw up conflict at the mere mention of their name…Two of the main players in the foreground of the debate have come up with very different views based upon their studies.  One is Energy Secretary Steven Chu; the other is Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson.

Jacobson has stated that, “Biofuels are the most damaging choice we could make in our efforts to move away from using fossil fuels”; and Chu has stated that, “developing the next generation of biofuels is key to our effort to end our dependence on foreign oil and address the climate crisis, while creating millions of new jobs that can’t be outsourced”.

The difference of opinion may be that these two scientists are talking about different generations of biofuels.”

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