For those of you who have been patiently awaiting a commercially viable alternative to our economic dependence on oil, natural gas and coal, the past year has seen some very encouraging technology and business breakthroughs in the growth and development of a modern bio-based economy. These breakthroughs are so material and meaningful that it is perfectly legitimate to ask whether we are today standing at the cross roads, the tipping point, in the transformation of our economy and society away from the costs and limitations created by our dependence on petroleum products, towards the growth and freedom possible through the development of a competitive bio-based economy.
Policy-makers understand the fundamental logic behind the bio-based economy. At its most basic level, it is extremely clear and simple: coal, oil and natural gas have long been the engine of the world economy, both as energy sources and as raw materials, but that will change significantly in the coming decades. As fossil fuels become scarce and expensive to develop, and the demand for energy continues to grow, this increased scarcity and cost will leave us with no choice but to find cheaper, more abundant, renewable sources of energy and materials. What is new is the growing understanding that our need for a bio-based economy is not driven exclusively by the need for alternative sources of energy and materials. We will need to have the capacity to feed 9 billion people by 2050; a challenge that cannot be met alone through traditional agricultural and manufacturing practices but will require bio-based solutions. Increasing demands for clean potable water, reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions, growing urbanization and climate change are all challenges that cannot be successfully met by continued reliance on fossil fuels; an alternative solution is required and now exists; not as a nice to have, but a need to have if we are to successfully navigate the challenges that confront us today and in the generations to come.
Tags: Climate Change , Climate Change , Renewable Fuel Standard , Bio-Based Economy , Biofuel , Biofuels , CO2 , Fuel , Green News
Source: Huffington Post, 2012-04-17.