Yes, of course! Although some people would try and have you believe otherwise, it should be made quite clear that ANY Biofuel is Carbon-Neutral, if produced in a thoughtful and considerate manner.

But some people say that it takes six barrels of oil to produce a barrel of Biofuel!

Nonsense! Similar arguments are often repeated by the "Oil-Brigade", who obviously have good reasons to talk down the competition.

Whilst it is indisputable that energy is consumed during the production of any Biofuel, there is absolutely no reason why any of that energy has to be derived from fossil fuels. There is certainly no reason that I can think of that fossil fuels need to be used, at all, in the production of any Biofuel. Even tractors can run on Bio-Diesel!

In actual fact, what the sceptics are referring to is "Equivalent Energy" used in production. That energy can be provided in many forms, whether electricity for pumping well water, or simply human energy, used in the actual farming process. However, most of this energy usage is minimal compared with the main source of energy in Biofuel production ..... Energy from the Sun.

The best way of thinking of any Biofuel is as a store of solar energy. Biofuels such as as Bio-Diesel and Bio-Ethanol are simply energy storage mechanisms or "energy sinks". This is precisely why Biofuels are useful! The fact that they absorb significant amounts of energy during production is exactly the reason that they are needed!

So, it really does not matter how much energy it takes to produce Biofuels, as most of it comes directly from the Sun. In actual fact, the correct figure is estimated to be nearer two barrels of oil (Energy Equivalent) to produce a barrel of Biofuel ..... But, so what?

But what about Carbon emissions?

Carbon emissions into the atmosphere in the form of CO2 are indeed a consequence of burning Biofuels ..... But it does not matter! To understand why this seemingly radical statement can be made without remorse needs an understanding of how the Carbon-cycle works. In a nutshell (no pun intended), Biofuel production involves removal of CO2 from the atmosphere during the Biomass cultivation period. This same Carbon is stored (as seeds, or whatever) until it is ultimately burned, most probably in a car engine. The CO2 is released once again into the atmosphere ..... just where it came from in the first place!

So, Biofuels really are Carbon Neutral?

Yes, they are. Biofuels have no overall impact on our environment, at least in terms of Carbon emissions. Anyone who argues against this point has been misled and is trying to mislead you also.

And what about those who say that planting fuel-crops like the Paradise Tree will deprive certain communities of food?

Simple: Just grow these trees on waste-land, which has no other use. There is PLENTY of waste-land all over India .... even in Goa, the smallest and most densely populated state. Paradise-Tree.org does not advocate cultivation on any area of land that is presently being used for production of any other crop. The important thing is that eco-systems should be created ..... not destroyed.

This is not simply a case of having to choose one or the other (i.e. a choice between food and fuel for your car / electrical supply). We can have BOTH.