• 2021-06
• Osiboye O.O, Odusina B.O
• Volume 3, Issue 1

Abstract

The dilemma of global climate change portends an overall temperature increase for our entire planet in association with rising levels of Green House Gases (GHGs). The global consensus emphasizes the contribution of human activities as well as natural sources to the concentration of GHGs overtime. First generation biofuel systems, such as ethanol made from corn grain, tend to emit more GHGs than cellulosic ethanol systems. In comparison to perennial biomass production, corn planting needs more fertilizer and pesticide thus resulting into greater soil disturbance leading to land use-induced carbon emissions. However, the second and third generation biofuels offer greater potentials for GHGs mitigation through the use of cellulosic feedstock sourced from production systems that has less land-use related GHGs emissions implications. The global potentials for biomass energy production are absolutely enormous, but it falls short of replacing the current energy demands. Increasing biomass production in order to increase biofuels generation would have remarkable negative effect on land use and agriculture. Besides biomass availability, biofuel production is also determined by its interaction with other energy options. More biofuels in the market is capable of reducing the global oil prices which tends to put the oil producing countries of OPEC at a gross economic disequilibrium. Advanced biofuel technology is expected to expand production capacity slowly, but high feedstock prices continue to encumber biofuel producers in Europe. The major player in OPEC appears to draw consolation from these challenges that seems to slow down the biofuel invasion of the global oil market.