GEF

Unit 3  |  Primary Sustainability Issues 65 Plant-based energy resources, also known as biomass , include crops such as sugarcane and corn, and byproducts and waste from forestry and agriculture. Biomass can be burned to gen- erate heat or to be converted into electricity, and it can be processed into biofuel for use in vehicles. However, diverting food crops such as corn into biofuel has heightened food short- ages and caused price spikes. Some experts contend that when we grow corn to make ethanol , for example, there is actually a net loss of energy due to the fossil fuel-dependent process of growing corn in industrial agricultural systems. Researchers are exploring ways to produce energy from non-food crops, potentially allowing biofuels to be much more sustainable. Ethanol production faces criticism from farm and energy advocates. Currently, all of these renewable sources under most circum- stances are more expensive than fossil fuels per kilowatt-hour . However, if government subsidies for fossil fuels are removed, renewable sources stand a greater chance of becoming a more important part of the global energy mix. BIOMASS Organic material that can serve as a source of fuel. BIOFUEL A fuel (e.g. wood or ethanol) produced from natural raw materials, such as agricultural crops or vegetable waste. ETHANOL A fuel produced from corn that is used as a supplement to gasoline. KILOWATT-HOUR A measurement of energy consumption that is used by electric utility companies for billing energy to consumers.