CAIRO: Amid skyrocketing oil prices and the oil crisis that forebodes the depletion of the world's major resources, an expert has underlined that the future is bound to support the option of bio-fuels. Speaking on Wednesday at the British Council about the technicalities as well as the implications of producing biofuels, Ian M. Arbon, an expert on renewable energy, said biofuels generated by processing certain kinds of edible and inedible plants will ultimately figure as the sole replacement for oil, which is slowly dwindling, endangering the global economy. "Although this is an inescapable option, so little has been done to promote it and I doubt very much whether politicians are considering it in a serious fashion, Arbon told Daily News Egypt. "This is making me skeptical about the future of biofuels in spite of the fact that the future of energy is bound to it, he continued, "Oil companies are definitely playing a role in undermining the importance of that vital alternative. Arbon said that 20 percent of the fuels produced to run vehicles in Europe currently come from biofuels, and by 2020 - the year experts predict the bulk of oil resources is bound to dry out - some 20 percent of the energy needed for transport, heating and other purposes will have to depend on alternative energy sources. "Some countries have even begun to opt for biofuels simply because they can't afford the soaring oil prices, remarked the expert. "Very few nations can afford to pay in cash; the rest have to buy it on debt, an option they would rather avoid, he added. However important the new option is, it is not devoid of social and environmental harm. A significant portion of biofuels production will involve substances such as sawdust, sugar cane and straw, as well as processes such as gasification, combustion and anaerobic digestion. "All this should pose a threat for the ecosystem and endanger the water resources that might be verging on scarcity in some parts of the world, explained Arbon. "Take, for instance, the deforestations that took place in both Brazil and Indonesia with the aim of growing sugar cane and palm oil, respectively - two energy-generating crops. Although both countries don't have a water problem, the move is likely to affect the ecosystem and the human consumption of these major items. While highlighting that there should be a balance between food and energy, the expert displayed one National Geographic cover story that featured the subject: "Growing Fuel, the Wrong Way, the Right Way. "The magazine's cover story should draw our attention to the fact that the technology could be adopted with minimal environmental and consumption-related risks, commented Arbon. "A few inedible plants like Jatropha, Algae, elephant grass and others have provided the solutions. Algae is ideal for Egypt because it can grow on the salty water of the sea. Jatropha could be the option in African countries. In the Middle East, no serious steps have been taken to even consider the issue because all these countries are rich in oil, said Arbon. "But, sooner or later they will have to turn to biofuels. Also, the process involves the design of new engines that operate with these new fuels. "But I am not optimistic. Nothing has been done even when the crisis peaked.
