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Issues: Oil & Energy

Biofuels
The Growing Solution to Energy Dependence and Global Warming

To grapple in a meaningful way with global warming and our dependency on oil, America will need all of the ingenuity it took to be the first to send a man to the moon. We need more efficient vehicles. And we need a clean and renewable alternative to oil. Biofuels -- especially ethanol made from biomass such as switchgrass -- can make a tremendous contribution to ending our dependence on oil, and if produced and used responsibly can also be a key component of a strategy to beat back global warming. This index collects NRDC studies, analyses and other policy materials that answer many of the most pressing questions about these fuels.

Reduced Gasoline Demand: Click to enlarge

	MORE ON BIOFUELS
	Overview Move Over, Gasoline: Here Come Biofuels Clean-burning fuels made from plants will power the cars of the future. Wind, Solar and Biomass Energy Today Business-friendly, cost-competitive and ready to meet a significant portion of America's energy needs. Related Pages America's Oil Policies A Responsible Energy Plan for America

Putting Biofuels on the Right Track: Renewable Fuels Standard Safeguards Protect Wildlife and the Environment (pdf)
April 2008
The verdict is in: Do biofuels right, or they will cause more harm than good. Fortunately, the 2007 Energy Bill (the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, or EISA) puts biofuels on the right track. These RFS safeguards are the best way to ensure that biofuels don’t become just another dirty fuel.

Getting Biofuels Right: Eight Steps for Reaping Real Environmental Benefits from Biofuels
June 2007
Liquid motor vehicle fuels made from plant matter, such as ethanol, butanol and biodiesel, can be a large and important tool for ending our dependence on oil and stopping global warming -- but only if we get them right.

Ethanol: Energy Well Spent
February 2006
America's oil dependence threatens our security, economy, and environment. In the face of these concerns, ethanol is earning increasing attention as a cleaner, renewable and domestically produced alternative to fossil fuels for transportation. This February 2006 literature review of existing research on ethanol production concludes that ethanol does successfully capture and deliver renewable energy and can indeed help us reduce our dangerous addiction to fossil fuels.

Unlocking the Promise of Ethanol (136 KB pdf)
February 2006
A legislative fact sheet on promoting ethanol while protecting air quality.

Bringing Biofuels to the Pump
July 2005
Biofuels -- fuels made from plant materials -- could virtually eliminate America's demand for gasoline by 2050 and benefit our national security, economy and environment. This July 2005 issue paper outlines an aggressive plan to develop a cellulosic biofuels industry that would make biofuels an affordable and sustainable alternative to petroleum while supporting American farmers.

Growing Energy: How Biofuels Can Help End America's Oil Dependence
December 2004
The United States does not have to rely on oil to drive our economy and quality of life. We can replace much of our oil with biofuels -- fuels made from plant materials grown by American farmers. This December 2004 report lays out an aggressive plan for how biofuels can become cost-competitive with gasoline and diesel, slash global warming emissions, improve air quality, and allow us to invest our energy dollars at home.

last revised 6.5.07