Benefits for agricultural output and the economy
Can you imagine a world where we use energy derived from plants on a massive scale? Absolutely, and not only in technologically advanced countries. Greece, for instance, given its agricultural tradition, could be self-sufficient, at least in terms of automobile fuel. But for that to happen, we would have to do some restructuring of agricultural production, for farmers would be the first to benefit. There’s no point in producing products that don’t sell when we can easily grow plants for fuel – for example, a sugar cane hybrid that can be grown economically and organically to provide huge quantities of ethanol without major infrastructure, pesticides or anything else that harms the environment. Besides, in general, biological energy can be produced without costly, complicated equipment. Moreover, the shift we hope to see in agricultural production will also have beneficial effects on local economies. Nowadays large farms are virtually on the sidelines because their produce is bought at almost rock-bottom prices. Entire areas in Greece and elsewhere in the world have been practically rid of farmers, because there are no opportunities for those people in their own country. With biofuels, they can continue to be farmers and make a handsome profit from their crops.
