Biofuel From Corn Stover May Be Dirtier Than Gasoline

Biofuels may not be the clean substitute for gasoline that we’ve been looking for, as the release of soil carbon more than offsets other gains. Research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln recently published in the journal Nature Climate Change found that when corn stover (stalks, leaves, and cobs) is removed from fields after the harvest to produce biofuel, the soil releases an additional 50 to 70 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per megajoule, bringing the total emissions to more than 100 grams per megajoule, 7% more than from gasoline. Crop residue increases carbon capture While the effect may…