http://magazine.good.is/articles/waste-an-untapped-resource
[image and links in on-line article]
Is Waste an Untapped Resource?
by Dana Driskill
Waste is intrinsically, well, wasteful. But it doesn’t need to be.
Assessment of Advanced Biofuels from Wastes & Residues, a new study by
indie nonprofit the International Council of Clean Transportation,
reports that waste is an untapped resource with various benefits. Most
notably, it highlights that waste and other residues from industries,
farms, and households can be converted into advanced biofuels, which can
power our cars.
According to the study, converting waste to biofuel can generate 36,000
jobs in the UK alone and by 2030 save around 37 million tons of oil
annually. Across Europe, hundreds of thousands more new jobs could be
created, and the potential is enormous. Advanced biofuels from eligible
waste and other residues could replace 16 percent of the continent’s
transport fuel by 2030. The study also stressed the importance of
ensuring that wastes and residues are sustainably sourced, which if so,
can create greenhouse gas savings by more than 60 percent.
If the waste and residues are not used to create advanced biofuels, they
would more than likely be left to decompose. Instead, by harnessing
their potential, European governments and agencies are able to reduce
the carbon intensity of transport fuels in a way similar to other
alternative energy carriers, such as hydrogen, natural gas, and batteries.
Furthermore, waste and residues’ shift to biofuel would not have
significant impacts on food commodity markets or land resources.
Advanced biofuels would also play a key role in improving European
energy security by reducing its dependence on foreign oil, and can
function as an additional source of revenue, up to 15 billion euros
annually, for farmers and forest owners. And of course, it would provide
some relief to overflowing landfills.
The best part? The technology to make this happen already exists. The
study’s researchers say that the most important step moving forward to
make this dream a reality is a serious commitment from policy makers
throughout Europe.
“Alternative fuels from wastes and residues offer real and substantial
carbon savings, even when taking account of possible indirect
emissions,” Chris Malins, one of the study’s researchers, told the
Guardian. “The resource is available, and the technology exists – the
challenge now is for Europe to put a policy framework in place that
allows rapid investment.”
The European Parliament’s environment committee will vote next week on a
biofuels reform bill next week, which has the potential to put the
structure in place to allow this new, potential industry to flourish.
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