Article Title: The False Promise of Biofuels

Author/Source: David Biello

A: List the major ideas, concepts or key points- point by point

Ethanol yields little net savings in CO2 emission
Cellulose does not affect food prices
None of biofuels working today
Energy use for distilling ethanol used by fossil fuels
Ethanol competition with gasoline; gasoline prices wins
Cellulosic ethanol produced not from starchy corn kernel
U.S generate 1.4 billion tons of cellulosic material
Lignin chemical compound for break down
Hemicellulose- compound supports a plants cell wall against gravity
Superenzyme will slow to break down cellulose require time and work
Inbred enzymes not make cellulosic ethanol affordable
Ethanol supplies only 3% of U.S gasoline demand
Biofuels create gigantic defect on world
Algae can be grown in desert and nourished with CO2
U.S National Renewable Energy La shut down algae program in 1996 for research funds
Using food for energy transportation will create problems
B: Summarize the AUTHORs main point or idea- at LEAST 1-2 paragraphs
The benefits of biofuels are often the most important. However, the negatives are over
looked at. Although ethanol is a far better source of fuel, its complications are what is holding it
back. Currently, the resource of biofuel of ethanol come from sugarcane and corn. These two
primary ingredients will be largely depleted if not sustained properly for both human and
industrial use. The complications of biological fuels are large contributing factors to the future.

C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific
citations from the article to support your views
I still think biofuels are needed for the future. With the large population of humans
weighing down the Earth, we will need the biofuels in order to maintain or receive a better
lifestyle. It was interesting to learn that the research for these fuels are so expensive. The
expenses were so large that the EPA shut down a research program for algae. The most
promising fuel is algae as it provides the most benefits in my opinion. This article showed the
other side of biofuels in order to fully inform readers.
So What?
It is important to know of biofuels.
Says Who?
The author and the various sources.
What if..?
What if we used more algae based fuels?
What Does This Remind Me Of?
This reminds me of APES in a Box notes.