Chemist warns of biofuel 'dead end'

Biofuels may be a "technological dead end" with no practical future, one of Britain's leading chemists has said.

Just one flight to New York would use up a year's yield of biofuel from land equivalent to 30 football pitches, said Dr Richard Pike, chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Pressure from farmers and manufacturers as well as muddled planning by decision makers could be leading the country up an energy supply blind alley, he added.

Dr Pike urged restraint on the promotion of biofuel as the simple answer to Britain's future fuel demands, and called for "clear debate and sounder legislation" to ensure future energy challenges were met the right way.

"Future historians may ultimately see the biofuels of the early 21st century as a technological dead end," he said.

"We have to bear in mind that the 80 tonnes of kerosene used for a one-way commercial flight to New York is equivalent to the annual biofuel yield from an area of approximately 30 football pitches.

"The way ahead has to include research into increasing biofuel yields dramatically and investigating artificial photosynthesis for alcohol production, but also placing higher priority on other, much more efficient land-based technologies."

Photo-voltaic cells could potentially convert 20% of the sun's energy, and concentrated solar power devices still more, he said.

Other useful technologies included new generation high-capacity electric batteries and devices for storing hydrogen produced from water.

These innovations could provide a long-term solution for vehicles at a fraction of the cost of the biofuel use of land, said Dr Pike.

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