Experts: Better plan needed for biofuels

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said more research is needed to help the next generation of biofuels avoid the pitfalls of corn ethanol.

Purdue University agricultural economist Otto Doering said cellulosic biofuels made from grasses, crop residues and inedible plant parts have the potential to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than current grain-based fuels, the university said Friday in a release.

"It's important that we begin thinking about how to deal with the unintended consequences of cellulosic biofuels as early as possible in order to ensure that they can be produced sustainably," Doering said in a statement.

In an article published in the journal Science, Doering and 22 other scientists said more comprehensive and collaborative research is needed.

"There are a broad array of concerns," Doering said. "We need to consider biofuel's likely impact on water use and availability along with water quality, especially nutrient runoff. Greenhouse gas emissions must also be considered, as well as effects on soils and the landscape."