Is government's biofuel strategy waterproof? WRC study investigates

Abstract

Water and energy While the use of biofuels have been put forward as a viable alternative to the world’s dependence on conventional oil, concerns over the impact of these fuel alternatives on South Africa’s scarce water resources have prompted the Water Research Commission (WRC) to launch a series of investigations in this regard. Article by Petro Kotzé. Globally, as the demand for energy is growing, so is the support for renewable energy and cleaner energy sources. As a result, the production of fuels from alternative sources has been a priority for many countries, particularly in Europe and America. The production of ethanol and diesel from vegetable biomass and oil (i.e. biofuels) has been promoted as one of the environmentally friendly alternatives to oil-based fuels. South Africa is also making strides into this sector, and our fledgling biofuels industry has recently made the news again after the Department of Energy published the long-awaited draft position paper on the pricing regulations and rules for administering biofuel prices for comment.

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