Significance and limitations of first generation biofuels

Formerly on the margins of the European agricultural landscape, liquid biofuels for transport have recently come into sharp focus with the help of three drivers: the depletion of oil resources and the political motto of energy independence, international negotiations on climate, and finally - in Europe at least - the overhaul of the common agricultural policy underpinning the need to diversify this sector. This political purpose has led to aggressive development targets in both Europe and the United States, implying a nearly ten-fold increase of biofuel production within ten years. This article introduces the current biofuel production technologies (so-called ;first generation'), whose common marker is the reliance on the storage organs of agricultural plants. This implies a relatively strong demand in arable areas, along with only moderately positive energy and environmental advantages compared to fossil fuels. 'Second generation' biofuels, which are based on generic biomass (ligno-cellulose) are expected to overcome these limitations, but will not be deployed on the market for another ten years.