Fuel - Will We See a UK Release?

There is an excellent movie highlighting the madness of our dependence on fossil fuels out in cinemas the USA at the moment. ‘Fuel‘ from Josh Tickell was the winner of the prestigious Audience Award for Best Documentary award at the Sundance Film Festival. The film has had such an impact that Mr Tickell won an award at the IREO UN Renewable Energy Awards. He has also been  named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador! Not bad work if you can get it……………..

Here is the trailer for Fuel, featuring ex-oil baron JR Ewing (Larry Hagman)!

Sadly, i can’t seem to find anything about a UK release date – so we may have to wait for the DVD to appear in the UK.

Biofuel has long been claimed as the answer to rising oil and gas prices, the ultimate in ‘clean and green energy’. As if to emphasise this further, a group of enthusiasts are currently en route to the cradle of Western Civilisation using only waste oil and cooking fat obtained from Chip Shops along the way. An impressive feat, im sure you’ll agree, anything that reduces relaibilty on fossil fuelled power has to be a good thing right?

Biofuels – The Debate

Biofuels were originally thought preferable to fossil fuels as the carbon released when burned was balanced by the carbon absorbed when plants grew. However, this is now seen as an overly simplistic view as turning plants into fuels causes its own emissions (i.e. refining and transportation). Recent studies have found that the production of Biofuels causes more greenhouse gas emissions than tradional fossil fuels.

Clearing land for Biofuel Crops

The problem essentially eminates from the amount of land that has to be cleared in order to produce the crop – increasing demand for biofuel crops has led to an increase in Vegetable Oil Prices, as a result more new land is being cleared, particularly in developing countries desperate to cash in on the Biofuel trend. Crops from old plantations head to Europe for biofuels, while new fields are cleared to feed people at home.

There are already calls in the UK for the government to end subsidies for Biofuel production, and investors are becoming very wary of the sector. Is this the beginning of the end for biofuel?, is it to become a casualty of the green energy wars?…….interesting times ahead.

Sugar Cane - Biofuel producing crop